50 RECORDS OF THK AUSTKALIAN MUSEUM. 



yellow ones are made) are put by and retained for subsequent 

 use in respective dilly-bags, koolauions, etc. A sufficient supply 

 of blood, obtained by the ordinary bleeding process'' ° from the 

 posterior ulnar vein, is collected into any convenient receptacle. 

 This blood, by means of feathers tied to the end of a stick, is 

 painted over the required pattern, previously deliminated with 

 gypsum, and dab upon dab of feather-down put on — this remain- 

 ing in position with the coagulation. Sometimes, the whole day 

 may be thus occupied in preparing for the night's festivities, but 

 no women or children are ever allowed to watch the procedure. 

 In tlie Cardwell area the whole of the individual's head face and 

 body, back and front, except the hands, feet (and sometimes, 

 calves and shins)" ^ are covered entirely with white cockatoo 

 feather- down after the parts have been smeared over with the 

 milky juice derived from the Ahtonia scholaris, R.Br. The 

 more carefully the warrior is thus decorated, the more successful 

 in the fight is he supposed to be. 



53. Painting of the Body. — It would be practically impossible 

 to give a detailed description of all the different designs adopted 

 in body painting, be it for occasions of rejoicing, sorrow, or 

 fighting, and I accordingly propose only mentioning a few of the 

 more typical patterns ordinarily met with, omitting all mention 

 of the many different ornaments and decorations alieady detailed 

 which will generally be found accompanying them. 



In the Nortli-Western Districts-''-, at corrobborees, or other 

 causes of rejoicing, certain transverse and semilunar bands of 

 white paint, or greased yellow and red ochre may be daubed on. 

 On similar occasions, and also at any time, the women throughout 

 the Boulia District may adopt a greased yellow or red tri-linear 

 pattern. This is put on by means of the three first fingers 

 dabbed simultaneously on the paint, and then smeared sinuously 

 but separately along the limbs, both upper and lower, and more 

 or less transversely across the trunk. 



On the Pennefather River a flash painting of the males would 

 be somewhat as follows : — Oliarcoal over the forehead ; a white 

 band from eitlier eyebrow down the front of the ear, along the 

 side of the neck, down the shoulder and arm ; a dab of red on 

 eitlier cheek ; alternate wliite and red l)ands across the chest ; 

 and one mass of red over tlie fore-arms, lower extremities and 

 back — this mass of red may be broken up into fine longitudinal 

 lines by sci*aping with the back of the shell of Cardium verte- 



fio Roth-Kthnol. Studies, etc., 1897— .Sect.283. 



ni lloth— Hull. 4— Phites xxix and xxx. 



2 Roth— Etlmol. Studies, etc., 1897— fig. 275, aud tigs 2S3-2'.I2. 



