236 ON THE *' ONVAR " OF MALEKULA, NEW HEBRIDES, 



mens, it consists of a spiral bandage made from a creeper, and 

 like that of the Fly River it extends from the wrist almost to the 

 elbow. 



The guard used on Efate, New Hebrides, is very simple. It 

 consists merely of a plain ring cut from a hard wood and rounded 

 on the outside. 



The "onvar" or thumb-guard of Malekula, though itself simple 

 enough, is a slight improvement on this form. It was first 

 mentioned by Cook* and described by Forsterf in his account of 

 the voyage. " On the left wrist they wore a circular wooden 

 plate neatly covered and joined with straw about five inches in 



* Cook's " Voyages," Vol. v., p. 35. 



+ G. Forster, " Voyage round the World," Vol. ii., p. 215. 



+ Ratzel, I.e., p. 227. 



