OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 21 



MONDAY, 26th APRIL, 1875. 



William Macleay, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



NEW MEMBER PROPOSED. 



A. R. Fraser, Esq., New England. 



MEMBERS ELECTED. 



Edwin Chisholm, Esq., Surgeon ; C. A. Fraser, Esq., New 

 England. 



Dr. Cox read the following paper on the Stone Implements 

 of Australia and the South Sea Islands : — 



The Aboriginals of this vast Continent and adjacent Isles show 

 no exception to the almost universal custom of making use of 

 stone as a means of searching for their food, and also for making 

 the necessary weapons of offence and defence. The few specimens 

 of these rude implements, which I have laid before you this 

 evening, are chiefly those which have been used by the natives of 

 Australia, some are from New Caledonia, a few from New Zealand, 

 others from the Fiji Group, the Loyalty Islands, several from the 

 Solomon Isles, and a few from New Guinea. It is now very 

 difficult to obtain specimens peculiar to New South Wales, 

 although it is no great time since these implements were to be got 

 in abundance. I can myself remember seeing them in the hands 

 of the greater number of the natives of the tribes which once 

 inhabited in large numbers the Valley of Mulgoa near Penrith ; 

 but so thoroughly has all trace of them now disappeared that I 

 have searched that district in vain for specimens peculiar to the 

 tribes, and if the total disappearance of them has taken place 

 within the short space of less than thirty-five years, I think, unless 

 some record of these rude relics of the inhabitants of this land be 

 made, future generations may doubt their having existed at all. 

 In Victoria they have totally disappeared from use, and but 

 comparatively few specimens are left on record. I have never yet 

 been able to procure a specimen from Tasmania, although I have 

 offered liberal rewards for them. In Western Australia stone 



