By 8. B. Dixon, Esq., F.G.S. 



101 



which the scrapers have been chipped into shape, evidently being 

 well adapted for this purpose, and the name of finger-flakes has been 

 assigned to them. 



Flakes. In addition to the well-worked scraper, there are found, 

 too, in great abundance, flakes or splinters of flint, that have been 

 struck off larger blocks. It will be readily seen that in the fabri- 

 cation of a celt there would be many of these flakes — made with no 

 intention of devoting them to any further use — many, too, were 

 made designedly and intended to be afterwards used as knives or 

 cutting instruments. The cores from which these flakes have been 

 struck are often found, and it is easy to see how readily the flakes 

 could be taken off if the working of the flint was carefully observed. 

 Where they have been struck off by a single blow there is always a 

 bulb or projection of a more or less conical form at the end where 

 the blow was struck, and a corresponding hollow in the core. This 

 projection is called " the bulb of percussion/'' and can be seen on 

 every flake. These flakes after having been struck off were let into 

 a socket in a piece of wood, and after being tied tightly round with 

 some ligature were covered with a coating of resinous gum. They 

 are now used in Australia for shaving down the clubs, spear and 

 javelin handles, and other similar purposes. 



Thrashing Machines. The abundance of the scrapers and chipped 

 flints in certain districts has suggested the possibility of their having 

 once formed part ot the thrashing machines, called tribula, which 

 were used in this country down to the Roman occupation, and are 

 in use in many — even civilised — parts of the world at the present 

 day. In Cyprus and the northern coast of Africa they are now in 

 general use. 



There are three or four specimens in the Blackmore Museum at 

 Salisbury from different parts of Northern Africa, one especially 

 from Inn is (which was purchased by the late Mr. E. T. Stevens at 

 the Paris Exhibition of 1867) is set with teeth very similar in 

 appearance to the chipped flints of this neighbourhood. Those 

 machines are flat sledges of wood from 5 to 6 feet in length and 

 2 to 3 feet in breadth, the under side having a number of holes, 

 into each of which a flake or chip of stone has been inserted. Each 



