54 MATHEWS — INITIATION IN AUSTRALIAN TRIBES. [March 18/ 



Stated Meeting, March 18, 1898. 

 Dr. I. Minis Hays in tlie Chair. 



Present, 11 members. 



Acknowledgments of election to membership were read 

 from Charles F. Scott, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; George H. Darwin, 

 of Cambridge, Eng.; S. Dana Greene, of New York, and L. 

 B. Stillwell, of Niagara Falls, N. Y. 



Correspondence was submitted and donations to the Library 

 and Cabinet were reported. 



Announcement Avas made of the death of Sir Henry Besse- 

 mer, at his residence near London, on March 15, 189 S, in the 

 85th year of his age ; and of the Eev. Dr. Edward A. Foggo, 

 at Philadelphia, March 8, 1898, aged 61. 



The following communications were presented : 



By E. H. Mathews, " Initiation Ceremonies of the Native 

 Tribes of Australia." 



Bv W. B. Scott, " A Preliminary Note on the Selenodont 

 Artiodactyls of the Uinta Formation." 



Pending nominations Nos. 1432 and 1451 to 1453 and new 

 nominations Nos. 1454 to 1457 were read. 



The Society was adjourned by the presiding member. 



LNITIATION CEREMONIES OF AUSTRALL\N TRIBES. 



(Plate V.) 



BY R. H. MATHEWS, L.S. 



{Read March IS, 1S9S.) 



The Koombanggary tribe, which was at one time both numerous 

 and important, inhabits the country from the south side of the 

 Clarence river along the sea- coast about as far as Nambucca, ex- 

 tending westerly almost to the main dividing range. On the south 

 they are bounded by the Thangatty tribe, occupying the Macleay 

 river. The Anaywan tribe, scattered over the table- land of New 

 South Wales, bound the Thangatty and Koombanggary people on 



