THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 27 



in small hollow branches of trees, others in cavities in the trunks 

 of the trees, others again in clay banks, &c, &c. The form of 

 the honeycomb also varies, and the honey itself is not equal to 

 that produced by the European bee, being more liquid and 

 darker in colour. The European bee, Apis mellifica, has already 

 spread throughout this district, and it is surprising to see how 

 hard the blacks work in cutting down a big tree to get a hive, 

 otherwise out of reach, as they are very fond of honey. The day 

 before I left "Wyalla" I paid a visit to some natives encamped in 

 the scrub not far off. They are continually shifting their quarters, 

 never staying more than a few weeks at one place. They are a 

 fine race of natives. When in their camps, and away from 

 Europeans, they wear no clothing, but they are rapidly becoming 

 semi-civilized, in consequence of so frequently coming in contact 

 with Europeans, and are perfectly safe to be with. They do a 

 little work now and again for the settlers or tin miners, who are 

 scattered throughout the country. The weapons they use are 

 much better than those made by the Victorian blacks, and most 

 of the spears are about nine feet six inches long, barbed, and 

 more or less coloured near the ends with red and white chalk. 

 For binding on these barbs they use either sinews from wallaby 

 tails or cord made from the bark of trees, and cover the binding 

 over with a substance made from the gum of the Grass Tree. 

 Wommeras, used for throwing the spears with, are about two feet 

 long, and altogether different in shape from those which were 

 formerly made by the Victorian blacks. Their shields are 

 large, the specimen I have being three feet eight inches long 

 by one foot four inches broad. They also use waddies and 

 a wooden sword, the specimen of the latter shown being four 

 feet three inches long by six inches broad. They have a 

 rude kind of musical instrument, a straight hollow trunk of a 

 sapling, nine feet six inches long by two and three-quarter inches 

 in diameter at one end and two inches at the other. It is 

 naturally hollow, and not done artificially ; it is very seldom 

 that trees suitable for the purpose are found. They blow through 

 it as one would through a fog horn, the noise being made by the 

 blower. It is heard a good way off, and has a musical kind of 

 sound which at a distance is very like a flute. It is the only 

 musical instrument I ever heard of being used by Australian 

 natives. The one referred to I got in exchange for some articles 

 of clothing, and it is on view here this evening with the weapons. 

 It was when the blacks were clearing the scrub for this camp that 

 they found the Rifle Bird's nest and two eggs. 



The scrubs here are very beautiful, but it is almost impossible 

 to describe the splendid and dense mass of vegetation. The 

 various trees grow close together with buttress-like roots, and on 

 most of them are numerous creepers, growing to their very 



