body; while the Fans use them of many forms manufactured from elephant skin. The Nubians sometimes make them of crocodile’s skin, to which they attach much value. The shield of the Abyssinian is convex, and made of buffalo hide with bosses of silver or brass. Among some of the North American Indians they are also common. The Highland target differs from those of the early Britons and Scandinavians in having one or two arm-straps, and occasionally an arm-piece of leather, as well as a handle; the very early shields of bronze or wood, only having a handle below the central boss. The back of these targets is almost invariably covered with deer skin, below which is stuffing of some sort to deaden the effect of a blow upon the arm. On the Trajan column all the shields seem to have the double arrangement, while the Greeks used an arm-piece and a handle towards the rim.

I.
THE MACDONALD TARGET.

This Target is covered with strong black leather, the Celtic ornamentation on it, which is highly artistic in character, being embossed in delicate relief, with the spaces around the pattern carefully and closely etched with a sharp point in a sort of endless cross-hatching, thus producing a dim flattened surface, and giving value to the raised design, which almost entirely covers the surface, leaving no space for any of the brass decorations so common on Highland targets. In the centre is the double headed eagle of the Macdonalds Lords of the Isles.

THE MACDONALD TARGET. IN THE POSSESSION OF M^R DRUMMOND, R.S.A.

II.
HIGHLAND TARGETS.

The two first are in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries. The one is of an early type and is bound with brass. On the outer circle of the design is stamped a series of rude attempts at birds. It originally has had a spike. The same class of ornamentation having been in use with little variation from an early period, it is no easy matter to affix dates to Highland and Scandinavian weapons of any sort, in such a specimen as this, however, age is unmistakeable. The second is of a pattern not unusual, with mountings of large bosses and triangular decorations of brass. The third is of chaste and symmetrical design, and the last is curious, from having worked upon it initials and a date as part of the pattern—D. M‘L. 1723.

HIGHLAND TARGETS.

III.
HIGHLAND TARGETS.

The first is elaborate and uncommon in the design upon the leather, and is more than usually rich in the variety of its brass decoration, it has originally had a large central boss. This fine specimen was the family target of the Campbells of Jura, and now belongs to Mr Gourlay Steell, R.S.A. The others are very good illustrations of the ordinary class of Old Highland targets.

HIGHLAND