I9I0.] MATHEWS— AUSTRALIAN BURIAL CUSTOMS. 303 



papers quoted, the reader will have a fairly complete account of the 

 customs dealt with. 



Magic Stones. — In regard to the ceremonial or magic stones, old 

 " Harry Perry," the black fellow already quoted, told me that among 

 other uses, these stones were employed for bringing rain, and this 

 statement was repeated by old " Jimmy," of Marra Station, and by 

 other old blacks. An old man took one of these talismans and placed 

 it in the fork of a tree, several feet from the ground, in such a way 

 that the saucer-shaped depression in the base was uppermost. He 

 then sat down and sang the usual rain-producing song, after which 

 he went away to his camp. It was necessary that great secrecy 

 should be observed, because if any person saw the operation it would 

 be a failure. 



Some of these magic stones were used for bringing " dust- 

 storms " which are very common in that arid part of New South 

 Wales, in which case the procedure was the same as for rain, except- 

 ing that the song was differently worded. Moreover, a stone to 

 produce " dust-storms " was reddish in color, like those numbered 

 I to 4 in Fig. 2, Vol. 48, p. 462. 



It must be explained that the country along the valley of the 

 Lower Darling and northward from that river to the Queensland 

 boundary, comprises many large stretches of red-colored, sandy soil, 

 upon which very little grass or herbage grows. When a strong gale 

 sweeps over this district in a dry season, it disturbs the loose soil, 

 and separates from it vast quantities of fine, reddish dust, which 

 rise and darken the air like a fog, which is sometimes so dense that 

 one cannot see more than a few yards in any direction. Such visita- 

 tions are known as " dust-storms," and are also facetiously spoken 

 of as " Darling showers." 



On the approach of a " dust-storm," kangaroos, emus, etc., 

 hurry away to the scrubs and timbered places, where they are in 

 the habit of taking shelter in wet weather and in times of danger. 

 The blacks are aware of this practice of the animals, and when 

 they think a " dust-storm " is coming, a couple of men go away 

 and hide themselves in one of these scrubs. Two or more scrubs 

 may be manned in the same way. The hunters place themselves 



