DAVIS: ANCIENT FLINT-USERS OF YORKSHIRE. 
419 
parts of the world, having relation to prehistoric man, his manners, 
his customs, and the influence liis existence has had in the general 
progress of the species. 
Mr. E. T. Ilardman,'-' who was a member of the Geological 
Survey of Irelan 1, and afterwards spent some years in Australia to 
prepare a Report on the Geology and ^Mineralogy of Western 
Australia, had many opportunities to study the natives in the district 
around Kimberley. He examined their implements of warfare, and 
learnt the uses and mode of manufacture of the flint, stone, agate, 
trap-rock, or other hard materials. They strikingly resembled those 
obtained from the ancient barrows and kitchen-middens of this 
country. The stone implements in Australia are almost entirely 
restricted to the northern part of the continent, and are rarely found 
in the south. They consist of spear-heads, celts or hatchets and 
small chisels, similar to the objects termed scrapers in this country. 
In the north of Australia there are extensive deposits of flint and 
jasper, as well as of agates, and in the river beds large pebbles of pure 
rock crystal. The sites of manufactories of implements are denoted 
by the quantities of flint flakes lying about From the rock crystal 
very beautiful spear-heads are n^ade, as well as knives used in the 
operation of circumcision and other similar rites. The progress of 
civilization has introduced another material which the natives have 
not been slow to utilize, and man}- of their weapons are now made 
from glass bottles. Leaf-shaped spear (or arrow) heads are made 
about two inches in length, finely pointed, with serrated edges. They 
are attached to sticks and used chiefly as projectiles, being thrown 
from the hand, assisted by a throwing-stick, at the end of which 
there is a hook to be inserted into the butt of the spear; its action, 
in giving considerable velocity, resembles that of a primitive bow. 
They are also used for throwing javelins. 
Mr. Hardman gives the following description of the method of 
fabricating implements, which appears so interesting as to necessitate 
its being given in his own words: — "I induced a native to 
show me the process on a portion of a broken bottle. Knocking ofi:' 
a piece of a suitable size, he then procured a rounded sandstone 
* Journ. of the R. Hist, and Archgeol. Assoc. of Ireland, vol. viii. Fourth 
Beries, p. 90. 
