295 



I 



NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL STONE 

 WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS. 



Bv: R. Etheridge, Junr. 



(Paleontologist to the Australian Museum, and Geological 



Survey of N. S. Wales.) 



(Plates XI. -XIII.) 



XVIII. — Tomahawks with Rafting Grooves.^ 



Grooved tomahawks are far less common, than those unprovided 

 with this adjunct to fastening a handle, in collections of Australian 

 stone weapons and implements, and it is inferred that the manu- 

 facture of them by the Blacks was equally so. 



I have already figured f a fairly good example from North 

 Queensland, and referred to other figures extant. The first of 

 tlie two specimens now described is from Gorman's Hill West, 

 Lake Cudgellico, Co. Dowling, and for an opportunity of noticing 

 it, I am indebted to Mr. G. A. Stonier, of the Geological Survey 

 of N. S. Wales, who obtained it at that place. 



This example of the groove<l tomahawk differs from that already 

 figured in these Notes in having the hafting groove far back towards 

 the butt. On the other hand, it agrees in this feature with one 

 figured by Smyth, | although the outline of the two weapons is 

 different. The present implement is particularly well finished, 

 with a strong hammer-headed butt, probably used for crushing, 

 this appearance being intensified by the posterior position of the 

 groove. Like the grooved tomahawk from North Queensland, 

 the shape of the present example is ovate, convex on one face and 



* I am indebted to Mr. G. W. Card, Mineralogist to the Dept. of Mine?, 

 for determining the petrological characters of the present weapons. 

 + P.L.S.N.S.W. 1S91, vi. (2), p. 367, t. 31, f. 3 and 4. 

 X Aborigines of Victoria^ 1878, i. p. 368, f. 183, p. 372, f. 195. 



