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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIX. 



Box No. 4a merely demonstrates that our prehistorics made 

 use of more than one kind of quartz. 



Box No. 5a contains some " flakes " of great beauty : one 

 or two of them seem to tell us that they have been made of use 

 from the appearance of the edges. The large flake shows no sign 

 of having been used. They suggest " cutting " implements, 

 and many retain the outer skin of the water-worn crystal. 



Box No. 6a has simply some chips found on one spot, the 

 camping ground, where the stones were manufactured. The 

 rough triangular, or heart-shaped stones, in this collection, 

 may be called arrow-heads for the sake of discrimination, for 

 they were probably used as such, but they give one no idea of 

 an arrow-head such as we understand it. 



In the box la are two forms which are the nearest to that 

 which is understood by the word " Sagittate." These two 

 stones are interesting examples of " accidental " formation. 

 They became of shape, adapted to a point at the first blow 

 from the rock. No. 33 may have been shaped " slightly " — 

 you may see that " they " were afraid of taking off too much 

 from fear of losing its use altogether ; and some very rough 

 projections remain ; but No. 43 is the result of one stone 

 " bumping " against another, a pure surface flake, with a 

 portion of the coating of the crystal proving this. Probably 

 this has never been used ; the base on one side of the " bulb 

 of percussion " has been knocked away, and possibly three 

 blows of the maker finished the weapon. 



Note by Mr. R. Bruce Foote. 



The subject Mr. Pole treats of is one of great scientific interest 

 to all true archaeologists. The publication of his paper will 

 certainly do good in drawing attention to the subject of the 

 ancient stone implements found in Ceylon, no matter by what 

 names they be called, or to what age they be assigned. 



Mr. Pole is evidently an enthusiast on the subject of the old 

 implements, and will I hope meet with much sympathy in his 

 researches. He has very kindly sent me a number of specimens 

 for inspection, and offers me some of them. I have not yet had 

 time to go through his "finds," being myself very busy at the 

 Madras Museum arranging the large collection I transferred 

 there. Some of Mr. Pole's specimens I glanced at are certainly 

 genuine artifacts. Ere long I hope to unpack them and compare 

 them with some Indian specimens. 



