SPIRIT OF GOOD BOOKS. 
361 
"Occasionally they are of 
larger size, and have been 
chipped into sliape at the point, 
so as nearly to resemble the 
implements of the next class. 
" An argument may be de- 
rived in favour of the majority 
of these arrow-head-shaped flakes 
having been designedly made, 
not only from their similarity in 
form one to another, but also 
because the existence of more 
carefully fashioned flint imple- 
ments almost necessarily implies 
the formation and use of these 
simpler weapons by the same 
race of men who were skilful 
enough to chip out the more 
difficult forms. But though pro- 
bably the work of man, and 
though closely resembling the 
flakes of flint which have been 
considered as affording evidence 
of man's existence w-hen found 
in ossiferous caverns, this class 
of implements is not of much 
importance in the present branch 
of our inquiry ; because, grant 
ing them to be of human work 
and not the result of accident 
there is little by which to dis 
tinguish them from similar im^ 
plemcnts of more recent date. 
"The case is different with 
the implements of the second 
class, those analogous in form 
to spear- or lance-heads. Of 
these there are two varieties, the 
one with a roiinded cutting point, 
its general outline presenting a 
sort of parabolic curve (PI. 1, 
No. 1) ; the other acutely 
pointed, with the sides curved 
slightly inwards (PI. 1, No. 2). 
These have received from the workmen of St. Acheul the name of 
langues de chat, from their fancied resemblance in form to a cat's 
tongue. The sides of both kinds are brought to an edge by chipping, 
but are not so sharp as the point, and altogether these weapons seem better 
adapted for piercing than for cutting. In length they vary from about four 
inches to eight or even nine inches. Both shapes are generally more convex on 
one side than the other, the convexity in some cases almost amounting to a 
tidge ; they are usually truncated at the base, and not unfrequently at that 
end show a portion of the original surface of the flint ; in some specimens the 
butt-end is left very thick, as if to add impetus to any blow given with the 
implement. The remarkable feature about them is, their being adapted only 
VOL. IV. 2 K 
Flint from Menchecourt, Abbeville (full size). 
