BY R. ETHERIDGE, JUN. 367 



bevelled surface is small, and the cutting edge rather obliquely 

 curved. Length, 6Jin. ; breadth. 2-Jin. ; thickness, fin. ; weight, 

 6oz. 



In the note of explanation referred to, the suggestion is made 

 that these flat tomahawks are " probably used to cut bark." I 

 would enlarge the scope of this happy suggestion by enquiring, is 

 it possible that they were also used for incising the figures and 

 designs employed in decorating trees around graves, or perhaps 

 even Bora grounds % 



The late Rev. P. MacPherson figured* a rather similar toma- 

 hawk to the above and described it as a "chisel." 



Section b. — With a hafting groove. 



1. Ovate Type. A very fine specimen of the grooved tomahawk, 

 for the better reception of the withy, or handle, in hafting, has 

 been communicated by Mr. C. W. De Yis, from the Queensland 

 Museum collection. (PI. xxxi., figs 3 and 4). 



I am not at present prepared to enumerate the number of types 

 which may be found under this heading, the number of illustra- 

 tions representing them being remarkably small, and their 

 occurrence in collections equally so. I infer, however, that they 

 indicate a higher type of implement than in those cases where 

 the stone head is only hafted with gum. 



This tomahawk from Northern Queensland is a long oval in 

 shape, composed of a brown, fine quartzite, heavy and bluntly 

 rounded at the butt, the bevelled anterior sides without signs of 

 friction, but the surfaces roughened and unpolished. The cutting 

 edge has a similar irregularity of outline to so many others, and 

 is not sharp. The groove for the reception of the handle is 

 six-eighths of an inch wide, two-eighths of an inch deep, and is 

 almost equi-clistant from both ends. .The course of the groove is 

 not directly across the pebble, but is directed forwards on the 

 sides of the tomahawk towards the anterior end. This was 

 doubtless intended to give the handle a better grip of the stone. 

 The measurements are : — Length, 5-J-in. ; breadth, 3-Jin. ; thick- 

 ness, 2in. ; weight, lib. 12oz. 



* Journ. R. Soc. N. S. Wales for 1885 [1886], xix., 1st PI., f. 3. 



