144 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



again divided into groups bearing the names of animals, as 

 kangaroo, ojiossum, iguana, emu, black snake, codfish, etc. The 

 figures of animals and other objects, as well as groups of hands, 

 may also have had some symbolical meaning in connection with 

 the myths and superstitions of the Australian aborigines, or were 

 drawn with the object of conveying some kind of knowledge. 

 These points require further investigation before any conclusion 

 of a definite character can be arrived at. 



I will first describe the rock paintings, and the method of pro- 

 ducing them, and will then deal in a similar manner with the 

 rock carvings. 



Rock Paixtixgs. 



Many of the cave paintings of New South Wales consist of 

 representations of the human hand, and these are done in two 

 different ways — one of which has been called the stencil method, 

 and the other the impression method. The former is the most 

 generally adopted for hand pictures, and is likewise used in many 

 instances in I'epresenting implements of the chase. 



In stencilling figures of the human hand or other objects on 

 the walls and roofs of caves or rock shelters, a smooth surface 

 was selected and slightly wetted or damped with water. The 

 jjalm of the hand was then placed firmly on the surface of the 

 rock, with the fingers and thumb spread out, and the required 

 colour squirted or blown over it out of the mouth. Probably one 

 native would hold his hand on the rock, and another would 

 apply the colour ; but it was quite possible for one operator to do 

 botli. Sometimes the part of the hand which was laid on the 

 rock was slightly greased with animal fat to make it fit closely 

 against the stone, and thus prevent the colouring matter getting 

 under it. For the white coloui'S they used pipe-c4ay, and for the 

 red, red oxide of iron, commonly known as red ochre. I got this 

 information from Mr. John ^ledhui'st, who is now an old man. 

 About the year 1843 or 1844 he was living on WoUombi Creek 

 with liis father, and saw the blacks stencilling their hands on the 

 wall of a rock shelter. I asked him if the coloured clay was 

 wetted before being put into the moutli, but lie said it was not, — 

 the dampness of the rock makes it adhere, and firmly attach 

 itself to the stone, where it appears to have the durability of an 



