282 THE SPEAR-BECKET OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. 



not make any particulai' reference to it. The point I wish to 

 emphasise is that the tassels are at the point of equipoise, and on 

 grasping either of them by certain of the fingers, its strings and 

 tassels, when held between or around the remaining fingers, 

 would, it seems to me, enable a much stronger and steadier 

 impulse to be given to the spear in its flight. If my assumption 

 should prove to be correct, it is then naturally followed by the 

 question which of the two, the string and tassels or the Onne]), is 

 the more archaic? The former I suspect. On showing these 

 spears to Mr. R. Parkinson, already favourably referred to, he at 

 once said that they came either from the northernmost part of 

 Xew Ireland or New Hanover, and authorised me to say that the 

 suggested use of the string and tassel is probably the correct one. 

 Mr. Parkinson further described to me another contrivance, 

 probably intended to assist in spear propulsion, that he had seen 

 on the islands off Dalman Harbour, German New Guinea. This 

 consisted of a short spike or peg fastened to a spear at the point 

 of equipoise, and directed obliquely backwards, i.e., towards the 

 butt of the spear. Although not seen in actual use, he supposes 

 this to have been a finger catch, or cleat, to enable the thrower to 

 obtain a secure and at the same time a lighter grip of the spear 

 than would be given by grasping it in the usual way. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW PARDALOTE, ITS NEST 

 AND EGGS FROM VICTORIA. 



By Robert Hall.* 



(Comrmmicated by the Secretary.) 



* Paper withdrawn, as a comparison of tlie specimens of the supposed 

 new species with a series of specimens of P. ax.'^imilis, Ramsav (P. ajfrnis,. 

 Temm. , subsp. assimilis, Ramsay, according to Dr. Sharpe) in the Aus- 

 tralian Museum, showed it to be a phase of this bird, not previously 

 recorded from Victoria. — -Ed. 



