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32 indicated by knobs, which are of course mere survivals and of no use.

The next improvement was the addition of a pair of loops, by which the blade was still more firmly fastened to the shaft, as in fig. 22, which represents a specimen from Rostrevor Down. The loops are some way down the shaft.

Gradually, however, they move up to the base of the wings, as in fig. 23 from Bush Mills. Finally, they are included in the sloping outline of the blade (fig. 24 from Dowris Hoard), into which also the shaft is carried.

The thongs attached to the loops were then found to be unnecessary and somewhat inconvenient.