BOOMERANGS.'' 



By Gilbert T. Walker. 



Boomerangs may V)e studied for their antliropological interest as 

 examples of primitive art** or for the manner in which they illustrate 

 dynamical principles." But there is extraordinar}^ fascination in mak- 

 ing and throwing them, and in watching the remarkable and always 

 graceful curves described in their flight. Accordinglv, m}' chief object 

 in the following paper has been to diminish the practical difficulties 

 of the subject by giving some of the results of ten years' experimental 

 acquaintance with it. 



The Australian weapons vary enormously in shape and size, while 

 the skill of the natives in throwing them is great in some districts and 

 very small in others. The marvelous flights that were described by 

 former travelers are but rarely seen to-da}'. and although it is unde- 

 nial)le that many a native can make a boomerang go 80 meters away 

 before returning to his feet, I know of only one trustworth}- account 

 of a much more sensational throw.'' In this the boomerang described 

 five circles in the air, traveling to a distance of about 90 meters from 

 the thrower and rising to a height of -to meters. 



For present purposes it will be convenient to consider two types of 

 implements. The first (fig. 1) is about 80 cm. in length, measured 

 along the curve, is bent (at B) almost to a right angle, and has the 

 cross section shown in fig. 2. It is about 6.5 cm. wide and 1 cm. thick 

 in the center at B. and the dimensions of the cross section diminish 

 slightly toward the ends A and C. The weight is about 280 grams. 

 The arms are twisted from the plane ABC after the manner of the 



"Reprinted from Nature, No. 1657, vol. 64, Aujiust 1, 1901, in which appears the 

 following note: "This paper is here published by permission of the editors of the 

 Physikalische Zeitschrift, for which it was originally written. A German transla- 

 tion has appeared in that journal, and from its publishers the accompanying illustra- 

 tions have been obtaineil. " 



'• The Native Tribes of Central Australia, by B. Spencer and F. J. (iillen (1899), 

 ch. xix. 



■E. O. Erdmann, Ann. d. Pyhs. u. Chemie, Vol. CXXXVII, p. 1 (1869); E. 

 (ierlach, Zeitschr. d. D. Vereins z. F(")rd. d. Luftschifffahrt, Heft 3 (^1886); G. T. 

 Walker, London, Phil. Trans., Vol. CXC. p. 23 (1897). 



■^Mr. A. W. Howitt, Nature, July 20, 1876. 



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