330 



EXPLORATION OF ABORIGINAL ROCK-SHELTERS, 



It is made from the fibula of a kangaroo, is 9f inches in length, 

 well polished, and somewhat triangular in section, the base being 

 furrowed by a rather deep groove, and the ridge rounded. The 

 epiphysis of one end has been broken off and that end 

 ground to a gradually tapering, flat, blunt point. The 

 signs of wear upon it are few and for the most part 

 confined to the lower half of the back or convex 

 portion of the bone. The point has been slightly 

 fractured, and just below the centre on the back the 

 bone has for about an inch been a little abraded in a 

 horizontal direction. Between this abrasion and the 

 tip are a numl^er of tiny shallow cuts or scratches. 

 However, these markings are so insignificant that it 

 would ))e useless to base any theory as to the use of 

 the bone upon them. The accompanying drawing, 

 for which I am indebted to Mr. Charles Hedley, will 

 convey an exact idea of its general appearance. 



Three uses have been suggested for it, viz., netting 

 needle, "death bone" or "pointer," and "nose bone." 

 With reference to the first suggestion, I can find no 

 record of the use of bone netting needles by the 

 aborigines, but if it be allowed that sometimes bone 

 was substituted for the usual wooden stick, the natives 

 would, I think, certainly avoid a polished and pointed 

 implement from which the cord would be so likely 

 to slip — a contingency which even in the case of 

 sticks they were forced to provide against. Roth 

 says* : — " The wooden needle, over a foot long, with 

 a small lump of cementing substance at either end, 

 has no 'eye' in it, the twine being just wound on and 

 off as required." 



The second suggestion is more feasible, for although 

 this bone bears but little resemblance to the elaborate 



Fig. 3. 



* W. E. Roth. "Ethnological Studies, &c." p. 94. See also Brough 

 ^myth, " Aborigmes of Victoria." Vol. i. p. 389. 



