times, when the stone implements were in use, trees were growing in the islands, and traces of these ancient woods and thickets survive in the roots which are still found in our peat bogs. That this was the case even after the arrival of the Norsemen seems proved by the appearance of placenames of Norse origin referring to woods and trees. Dr. Jakobsen mentions Skooin Brenda, a place in Quarff, which he derives from Old Norse skoginn brenda—the burnt wood; Brennya, a croft in Fladabister, from brenna-burnt land; Rees (Quarff), a croft, from hriss-brushwood; Krapp, a croft at Gulberwick, from Norwegian Krape-brushwood; Hoolin Brenda, a croft at Norwick, Unst, meaning the burnt knoll; and Ribrendadelds, in Setter, North Roe, from deild-a portion of land, brend-burnt, ryde--brushwood. Bruntland, Brunthammarsland, and possibly Lund (Icelandic Lundr-a grove) are other examples. The story of the burning of a wood in Foula by the Lewis men in order to prevent the inhabitants fleeing to it for concealment, is quite in keeping with the customs of the marauding bands of the time, and probably is a tradition of an event which actually occurred. That the Norsemen introduced the art of peatcutting when wood became scarce is probable, and the bold Jarl Einar likely merited the eke-name he received-Torf Einar. Although the trees growing in Shetland may not have been of very large size, they would have afforded material for agricultural and domestic implements and utensils, for roofs of huts, and for building the frames of coracles or skin boats. The brushwood would also furnish fuel for the inhabitants, and the stone hatchet must have been of as much importance to the Stone Age Shetlander as the tusker (spade for cutting peats) is to the crofter of our own day. The beautiful specimen of a polished axe shown in Fig. 1 (Frontispiece) is from a group of three found lying together in In the soil at Tingwall. They are of porphyritic stone. The largest of the group, Fig. I, measures 1oy inches in length by 234 inches across the cutting face. the case of the other Tingwall specimen, Fig. 4, which measures 9 inches in length by 334 inches, the cutting face is slightly extended, giving it somewhat the appearance of the common form of bronze axe. Possibly this implement belongs to the transition period towards the close of the Stone Age, when it was not unlikely that the forms of the bronze weapons then possessed only by the very wealthy would be imitated in stone as far as that material would permit. Little indication of such an influence, however, is to be seen. On the other hand, it is likely that in the first instance the bronze weapons were modelled on the earlier stone type. The smallest of the three found together at Tingwall is of a less common form. It measures 612 inches in length by 2 inches in breadth, tapering to about 134 inches at the butt, |