BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 357 



was probably used as a gouge or an adze, or perhaps as a hoe-blade. 

 Its cutting edge is blunted from much use. The flat plate of 

 antler shown in Fig. 93 was probably a chisel, as was the end of 

 a prong, shown in Fig. 95. From all the sites come slender 

 cylinders, of various lengths, from an inch and a half to three 

 inches. These are figured on Plate II, Fig. 87. The use of these 

 is unknown. In Canada they are called pins. Mr. Parker calls 

 them "pitching tools" for use in chipping chert. They resemble 

 certain wooden cylinders used by Indians in the Northwest in 

 gambling, and so have been called "gambling sticks." 



In the refuse heaps of Site No. 7, Buffalo, were found three 

 spheroids, of the size of marbles. They resemble the peach-stones 

 used by the Senecas in gambling and probably were so used, Plate 

 II, Fig. 94. 



Artifacts Made of Shell. 



It seems strange that with mussels abundant in every stream, 

 their shells did not take a more prominent place in the domestic 

 economy of the Indians. Shells of the fresh water mussels are 

 not often found in the middens, and artifacts made from shell are 

 also seldom found. This may be due to the friable nature of the 

 shells though some few shell articles are preserved in the middens 

 and graves of the villages. Of these a large proportion are made 

 from the massive shells of the great conch or other ocean shells. 

 No shell articles have ever been found on camp sites. 



The shells used were not only the local shells of the streams 

 and lakes, but shells from the ocean. The local shells were the 

 various species of Unio, Goniabasis, Melantho and Pleurocera. 

 The ocean shells employed were the Busycon and Fulgur and 

 perhaps, the Strombus. 



The local shells were obtained from the near-by-water-courses, 

 but the ocean shells were imported. The Neutrals had a large 

 commerce with the natives of the southern coasts in "Vignots", 

 probably Strombus. 



The Fulgur and Busycon were probably brought from the 

 east coast. The shells of the Unio were adapted for use as cups 

 or dippers without modification; and many were undoubtedly so 

 used. These would show no traces of workmanship or of wear 



