\"ld\" and \".a\" files

[FIRTH at TL-20B.ARPA]

We are using BSD 4.2 Unix.  The manual for the linker "ld" says
that the program will  search archive ".a" files for previously
undefined global symbols, and will include any ROUTINES that
define such symbols.

After finding strange anomalies, I eventually looked at the code.
The conclusion I reached (with some difficulty, since the relevant
programs "ar" and "ranlib" are almost totally devoid of commentary)
is that "ld" in fact loads not the routine but the FILE containing
the definition of the global symbol.

Is this the intended behaviour, and should I change the manual?
Or is it a bug, and, if so, does anyone have a fix?

Robert Firth
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