^Ts'l Spencer, Kitchen Middens and Native Ovens. 115 



However, in this particular case there is fortunately no doubt 

 whatever in regard to their human origin. It is only very 

 rarely that any well-made implement is found in the middens, 

 which do not indicate the permanent camps of the natives. 

 They were only, so to speak, temporary eating-places — the 

 real camping-grounds lying further inland. We only found 

 one ground axe, and, previously, Mr. Kershaw met with a 

 bone awl ; but such more highly developed implements are of 

 rare occurrence, and must have been accidentally left behind. 



The following is a list of the mollusca found in the various 

 middens, for the identification of which I am indebted to Mr. 

 J. A. Kershaw. The only other traces of animal life, with 

 one exception referred to later, were a few fragments of claws 

 of the rock lobster, Palinurus, sp., and broken bones of birds, 

 but it is very doubtful how far these are to be regarded as 

 genuinely associated with the middens : — Haliotis nervosa, Turbo 

 undulatus, Scutus anatinus, Ostrea edulis, Lotorium spengleri, 

 Area lobata, Voluta papulosa, Purpura succincta, Donax 

 epidermia, Patella tramoserica, Natica plumbea, Mytilus latus, 

 Mytilus rostratus, Mactra rufescens, and Chiton, sp. 



In the great majority of cases various species were found 

 mingled together and often strewn irregularly over consider- 

 able areas of ground (fig. 1) ; but in some middens there were 

 heaps, three or four feet in diameter, composed of only one 

 species, as in the case of Turbo undulatus, which, with its 

 opercula, was the most largely represented form ; Patella tramo- 

 serica, Donax epidermia, Purpura succincta, and Mytilus 

 rostratus. Deposits of the latter especially were found here 

 and there amongst the fine loamy soil forming the hillocks on 

 the southern bank of the Darby River, a little way in from 

 its mouth. On the north bank of the stream there is also, 

 where the track comes down steeply to the old foot-bridge, a 

 deposit of the same fine loamy material, with abundant remains 

 of ancient middens. 



In relatively only a few cases we found traces of charred 

 wood and of the effects of fire on shells, more especially of 

 Turbo and its opercula, that had evidently been cooked in 

 hot ashes ; but, for the most part, the animals had been eaten 

 in the fresh state, just as the civilized man now eats his oyster. 



As already stated, these shells and crude stone implements 

 indicate the temporary feeding-places of the natives, and not 

 their camping-grounds ; but in one case we came across the 

 remains of a native. The bones, consisting of parts of the 

 cranium, the lower jaw, ribs, arms, and leg bones, were lying 

 exposed on the surface of a small midden, mixed up with the 

 remnants of shells. They were all more or less friable, and 

 had evidently been uncovered and re-covered, time after time 



