24 



RliCORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



individual mesh maj' be only one-eighth of an inch long. The 

 materia] used in its manufacture is either human hair, flax-fibre, or 

 Opossum twine, whichever is used causing variations in the mesh- 

 size. The mifi-miri is one of the badges of the last of the initia- 

 tion ceremonies in the Boulia District, and can be worn by both 

 men and women, subsequently to that stage, at all times, whether 

 conobboree or not. Made by males only. 



7. Forehead Feather-covers. — The emu-feather forehead dress of 

 the Pennefather River is of two varieties according to the species 

 of bird, black (NGG. araba) or wliite(NGG. enggenjingana) from 

 which it is manufactured. The feathers are inteiwoven at their 

 bases by means of two continuous strands in the form of a chain- 

 twist, and as a necessary corollary to the article being constructed 

 on tiie flat, tlie chain-twist runs zig zag, alternately from side to 

 side, just like the strainers and colanders from the Lower Mitchell 

 River. ^ It is more or less mitreform, coloured at its base in 

 horizontal bands of red and white, tied V»y its two extremities to 

 the back of the head, and known to the Pennefather River 

 Natives as tai-pe ; though manufactured by women, it is used by 

 men and boys when dancing and wlien fighting. 



8. Feather-lufts ; Aigrettes. — Feather-tufts or aigrettes are 

 formed of various bird's feathers tied to a small sprig, which i.s 

 stuck indiscriminately here and there into the hair ; on the other 

 hand, feathers may he Used l)y themselves singly. Amongst birds 

 thus utilised aie tlie emu, white cockatoo, eagle-hawk, pelican, 

 turkey, etc., but on the Upper Georgina River I have seen feather- 

 tufts replaced by the tails of the Pe.rcujale hujotis, Held. 



The white cockatoo feather-tuft is met witli almost throughout 

 Northern Queensland, but is very common indeed in the eastern 

 half of the State, and is used hy males only, either at corrobhorees, 

 tor decorative purpo.ses generally, on Hghting expeditions 

 often. At Headingley (Upper Georgina River) it is 

 stuck into tlie forehead-band (or arudet) ; between the 

 INIitcluill and Staaten liivers, theGunanni fix it upright 

 Oil tliH top of the head and call it woikai-a (fig. 14). 

 The Middle Palmer River IMacks obtain the ornament 

 (KMl. kwa-chil) l)y trade and barter from the Mus- 

 grave and .Saltwater River Native-; of the eastern coast. 

 Fig. 14. On the Endeavour, Bloomfield, and certainly as far south 

 as the Tully River, these cockatoo feather tufts may be made 

 wholh' from the bird's " top knot," stuck into a large l»lol) of wax 



4 Roth— Bvdl 7— Sect. 52. 



