BY WALTER R HARPER. 



425 



JSTo. 3 (PI. XIV. fig. 2) is in the South Australian Museum, 

 Adelaide. It was discovered in 1889 at Lake Menindee, County 

 of Menindee, west of the Darling River, N.S. Wales, and was 

 sent to the museum with a note — ''Used in certain ceremonies." 

 It is, I think, the top part of a larger specimen, for the base is 

 very rough and uneven, and although an attempt had been made 

 to hollow it out this attempt was abandoned. It is composed of 

 slate, 33 cm. in height, and is almost circular in section, the 

 diameters of the base being 5 cm and 5-2 cm. It tapers much 

 more gradually than the other specimens, the greatest circum- 

 ference (at the base) being 16 8 cm., whilst at 5 cm. from the 

 apex the circumference is 13-6 cm. The markings upon it are 

 few, consisting of several rather long gashes running parallel to 

 the base, and a number of short and, for the most part, ill-defined 

 cuts scattered about the lower half of the object. The only other 

 decoration is an irregular spiral incision which winds three times 

 round the top, and thus accentuates the resemblance of the 

 "s tone '"' to a lingam. This mark is evidently of much more 

 recent date than the others. The "stone," base and apex included, 

 has been highly polished by continual handling. 



Weight, 31bs. 8ozs. 



No. 4 (PI. XVI. fig. 1) is in the Australian Museum, Sydney. 

 Nothing is known concerning its discovery. It is composed of 

 sandstone 3 6 4 cm. in length, and is almost circular in section; 

 its greatest circumference is 23*2 cm., and the base is concave. 

 This stone differs altogether from the others, in that it shows 

 very evident signs of having been used rather extensively for 

 rubbing or grinding. The stone when found was in two pieces, 

 and it is the upper part which presents this appearance more 

 particularly, but one side of the lower piece has also been used in 

 a similar fashion. Dr. Cooksey, of the Australian Museum, 

 suggested that the wear looked exactly like that noticeable on 

 stones used for sharpening scythes, and probably some European 

 had been using it for such a purpose. This is not unlikely. 

 Perhaps some semi-civilised black, ignorant of its proper use, may 

 ha\-e employed it in putting an edge on his steel tomahawk, or 



