68 



NOTES ON THE HUNTING STICKS, ETC. 



Worse, however, is the designation, as "throwing 

 stick." No doubt the lughrana was "thrown, " that is to 

 say, it was passively thrown as a missile, but to call it a 

 "throwing" stick is altogether wrong. The "throwing 

 stick" or "womerra'' is an implement used to impart greater 

 force or velocity to a spear which was thrown by means of 

 it. It is therefore an accessoi'y implement which was used 

 actively, and not passively like the lughrana. The reten- 

 tion of the word "throwing stick' might therefore lead to 

 very grave misunderstandings, because those who are not 

 intimately acquainted with the habits of the Aborigines 

 might be led to believe that the Tasmanians used the wo- 

 mera. As the lughrana was chiefly, though not exclusively, 

 used in hunting animals and birds, I think the word "hunt- 

 ing stick"' is much more appropriate ; it is certainly not 

 misleading (6). 



As far as my knowledge goes, only three lughrana have 

 been preserved, and these are in the Hobart Museum. It 

 is possible that a few more are in Paris and perhaps in 

 the British Museum, or in possession of pnvate individuals, 

 but if they exist, they have neither been described nor 

 figured. Two of tho Hobart specimens. No. 4268 and No. 

 4269. were originally in Milligans possession, and we may 

 take it as granted that they are authentical. The third 

 specimen, without a number, is said to have been found in 

 some swampy land while a trench was dug, but, unfortu- 

 nately the exact locality where it was found is no longer 

 known. As it differs in a material point from Milligan's 

 specimens, this uncertainty is greatlv to be regretted. The 

 following table gives the measurements of the three speci- 

 mens : — 



(6) It has been suggested to me that the word "mlsslle-stlck" would 

 he a very approiirlate designation for the lughrana. No doubt the 

 luglirana was chiefly a missile, but as we shall see later on, it was 

 also used in a different wav, not as a missile. As It was apparently 

 chiefly used lor hunting purposes, I think the designation "hunting 

 stick" preferable to that of "missile stick." 



