622 SLING CONTRIVANCES FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS, 



the spear sliiifif they easily reach '200 to 800 feet.** Indeed, according 

 to Chitterbiick,'' the Australians are said to have made even 150 yards 

 with the spear sling. Whether these last statements are entirely 

 accurate we can not decide, but one constantly sees references to 

 great distances attained by aid of the spear sling. 



LOCALITIES AND TYPES. 



We now turn from this general view to the localities where the 

 spear sling is used, to familiarize ourselves with the types there occur- 

 ring. 



The region in which spear slings are most frequent, even at the 

 present day, is Australia, The principal weapon of the Australians 

 is the spear, 3 to 4 meters in length, and all Australian spears 

 except those used in catching fish are thrown by means of a sling, 

 called " wommera,'"''" Avhich is used both in war and in the chase. It 

 was at one time distributed throughout Australia, but, being sup- 

 planted more and more by firearms, slings are now limited to West 

 Australia from the north and the territory beyond New South Wales 

 and Victoria. 



The male type only is found in Australia, and may be divided into 

 two large groups. In the first the hook and shaft are in one piece, 

 while in the second group the hook is a separate piece (bone, tooth, 

 wax), often of different material than that of the shaft, fastened on 

 by winding with reed and thread and smeared with wax. 



This first group occurs only in Melbourne and vicinity. The grip 

 of the shaft is rounded, often thickened by means of wax, sometimes 

 roughened by means of incisions to prevent the hand from slipping 

 during slinging. The shaft broadens toward the center and sud- 

 denly tapers to a point at the outer end. The under side from the 

 center out is slanted or rounded toward both edges, the upper side 

 slightly hollowed. Very broad and very narrow forms occur, as 

 well as round, between Avhich are all intermediate degrees. They 

 are often carved, especially on the back, with all sorts of figures and 

 Avith the line ornamentation so general in Australia (pi. i, figs. 1 and -2) . 



Those of the second group, with the hook composed of Avood. l)one, 

 tooth, or Avax set into the outer end of the handle, are subdivided into 

 tAvo types, Avith numercMis subdivisions. Type I comprises broader 

 or narroAA^er blades, or those slightly hoUoAA'ed on the under side, 

 Avhile Type II is of round shafts. Type I again falls into tAvo sub- 

 diAdsions: (a) The spear sling is more or less broad, therefore leaf- 

 sha]:)ed; the hook is fastened at the ui)i)er end upon one side; (6) 



n Wallace : Australasia, 3d eel., p. 124 et seq. 



&Wiiitz: Aiiihi'oiiol. (\er Naturvolker, VI, p. 472 et seq. 



<^ Kutzel : A'olkei-kuude, II ed., p. 43 et seq. 



