36 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSKUM. ' 



As a general rule, the Mel.o diadenia, Lamk., is to be found 

 worn more frequently iul.and tlmn on the coast line where the 

 Pearl-shell as a decoration is in the ascendent, the iridescence of 

 the latter naturally proving more attractive and so reducing its 

 export to a minimum. The melo travels no inconsideiable dis- 

 tances, e.g., into the Boulia District \\ hither I succeeded in 

 tracing its course through the trade-routes as follows : — From the 

 Gulf Coast-line between the Nassau and Staaten Rivers, whei-e 

 the Gunanni call it ro-anda, it is brought into Normanton whence 

 it gets to the Nau-an Natives at Mullangera and so to the Upper 

 Flinders and Cloncurry District aboriginals (i.e., Wunamuna 

 and Maitakudi), the Flinders ones bartering it to the Yirandalli 

 Blacks around Hughenden ; at the head-waters of the Diamantina 

 River, at Kynuna, and at Hughenden, the Goa folk from 

 Elderslie obtain it from all three sources, trade it down the river 

 to Diamantina Gates and Cork, whence it is brought via Spring- 

 vale into the neighbourhood of Boulia, where it is occasionally 

 but irregularly seen worn on the fore-head like a Kangaroo-tooth 

 ornament. At Roxburgh Downs and south of that station, as 

 well as elsewhere, I have observed this decoration being imitated 

 by chipping and grinding-down pieces of broken chinaware. 

 Local names : — PPT. kulinjeii, MIT. chikara. 



On the Peiinefather and Euibley Rivers, in fact on both sides 

 of and within the extreme Cape York Peninsula, a flat circular 

 shell chest-ornament may not infrequently be met with ; this is 

 made by chipping oft' and grinding down the base of the Conns 

 miHi.punctatus, Linn., and finally diilling the aperture through 

 which the string passes. Another shell, worn just as it is found, 

 is the Solarium perdix. Hinds ; the Pennefather Blacks speak 

 of both these shells under the one name of devi-devi. 



31. In the Noitli-Western Districts, here and there, thick 

 circlets of Opossum-twine, etc., may be thrown over the head and 

 hang loosely upon the chest. 



32. Amongst unusual articles I have seen worn regularly as 

 chest ornaments may be mentioned the large Eagle-hawk's claws, 

 two of which '^'^ are attached inoon-shape-like into a piece of 

 cemeut ; two of such double-claw hoops may l)e fixed to the same 

 neck-string. The claw is brought to Boulia from the north, 

 both from down the Georgina River, and down the Burke and 

 Wills Rivers; PPT. mingkara, KAIi. pi-ko-". 



2* For an illustration see Roth— Ethnol. Studies, etc., 1897, fig. 270. 



^^' The testicle.s of the Kangiiioo, with surrouiuHiig pouch and skin, 

 after being removed and (h-ied, were cut into slices, rui)l)ed witli oliarcoal, 

 and suspended over the client l)y a string passing tlirough a hcdc at the 

 edge (T. Pelrie). 



