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90 on the Lake of Neufchâtel, and closely resembles the modern African axe (fig. 19). In the latter case, however, the blade is of iron. It will be observed that the Swiss specimen differs from the other two in having an intermediate piece of horn. These horn sockets are very numerous in some of the Swiss lake-villages.

To us, accustomed as we are to the use of metals, it seems difficult to believe that such rude implements were ever made use of; we know, however, that many savages of the present day have no better tools. Yet, with axes such as these, generally with the assistance of fire, they will cut down large trees, and hollow them out into canoes. The piles used in the Swiss Stone Age lake-habitations were evidently, from the marks of the cuts on them, prepared with the help of stone axes; and in Danish peat-bogs, several trees have been found with the marks of stone axes, and of fire, upon them, and in one or two