38 
THE EVOLUTION OF THE AEROW 
from an accidental scratch and also to prevent the poison 
from drying, as poison which has caked hard will not easily 
dissolve in a wound. 
The sagittate form of iron arrow-head has now apparently 
reached a standard form in this part of Africa, and as Western 
civilisation has now intruded it is almost certain to be its 
ultimate form, for every year native hunting will be more and 
more controlled and will undoubtedly speedily die a natural 
death. 
Occasionally in the lake region one sees peculiar variations 
of the arrow-head designed for special purposes, such as for 
shooting birds or killing rats ; sketches of two curious examples 
are given. 
Detachable Arrow-head for killing Birds: Kavirondo: 
We will now work our way to the butt of the arrow. There 
is very little to say about the shaft : it is always round ; the 
material varies — it is sometimes the midrib of a palm leaf, 
sometimes a reed, but generally made of tough seasoned wood 
free from knots. If it has a detachable point it is carefully 
bound round with catgut, made generally of the leg tendons of 
a domestic animal. This carries us to the base of the shaft 
