BY H. STUART DOVE, F.L.S. 



263 



smooth; part of the remaining circumference has been 

 roughly chipped and left without any smoothing process, 

 while the remainder is in its natural state. 



I will state here that the type just described is not 

 necessarily of greater diameter than those about to be 

 touched on; indeed, the smallest of type i are much less 

 than the largest of type 2; but in those of similar dia- 

 meter the greater weight is always with the first group. 



The largest of the second or flat type measures 5in. x 

 5in. X i^in. in thickness, and weighs 2lbs. 30Z. ; the edge 

 has been much worked by chipping or hammering, and 

 the stone is almost a perfect circle. The object of the 

 natives in working at the edges of these stones appears 

 to have been to get them as circular in outline as pos- 

 sible, although whether this was done to please the eye 

 or with some ulterior purpose we have no means of know- 

 ing. All the circumference except about i^in. has been 

 worked in this case, and the centres of both surfaces bear 

 marks of having been hammered upon. 



The smallest I have of this flat type is a very nice 

 light specimen of an ounce or so under lib., measuring 

 4^in. X 3%in. x ^in. in thickness, though the latter 

 dimension varies slightly, in one part being ^in.; the 

 circumference has been treated all round except for about 

 ^in. ; one surface is very slightly convex, and in this 

 small dints caused by hammering can be felt with the 

 finger-tips; the other surface is smooth. 



While searching the site of an Aboriginal camp 1 

 noticed the edge of a stone projecting above the surface 

 of the ground in an oblique direction. On raising this 

 carefully it proved to be one of the flat type, measuring 

 4^in. X 4in. x i^^in. in thickness, and weighing lib. looz. 

 Although the circumference had been worked upon con- 

 siderably for three-quarters or so of its entirety, the 

 specimen had not been made very circular, as will be 

 noticed by the measurements. There were slight marks 

 of hammering in the centres of both surfaces; but what 

 rendered this specimen peculiarly interesting was the fact 

 of it throwing light upon the use to which some at least 

 of this class of stone was put. In the centre of one surface 

 can still be seen some of the red ochre which was pounded 

 upon the flat surface of the stone, and which has been 



