29o THE FOOD OF THE TASMANIAN ABORIGINES. 



dreaded most, but apparently when asked the name for 

 flounder they gave it the same name as the ray, because 

 of the similarity in shape and its habit to rest flat on the 

 bottom of the sea. It is somewhat astonishing that they 

 should distinguish the hippocampus under a separate 

 name, because this fish can hardly be considered a very 

 prominent representative of the fauna. It is very prob- 

 able that on closer examination the native word will have 

 quite a different meaning. 



6.— CRUSTACEA. 



Three species are mentioned, viz. : — 



1. The large Crab Pseudocarcinus gigas. 



2. The Crayfish Palinurus Edwardsii. 



3. The Freshwater Lobster. , . Astacopsis Franklinii. 



Though small, the above list is very significant. At 

 least two, the crayfish and the fresh water lobster, were 

 consumed, the latter being of a particular sweet taste, 

 equal in flavour to, if not better than, the greatly appre- 

 ciated Astacus fluviatilis of Europe. The large crab is a 

 remarkable object, which cannot fail to attract anybody's 

 attention. That they distinguished it by a name is there- 

 fore hardly surprising, but there is no record that they 

 also ate it. 



7.— INSECTA (i). 

 There are five insects mentioned, viz. : — 



1. Large blue ant Diamma bicolor. 



2. Largest venomous rat . . . . Myrmecia pyriformis. 



3. Small black Colobopsis Gasseri (?). 



4. Red body and black head .. Camponotus consobrinus (?). 



5. Blow fly Calliphora oceanicae. 



6. Caterpillar Genus and species uncertain. 



7. Flea Pulex irritans. 



8. Locust Chortoicetes terminifera (?). 



9. Spider Genus and species uncertain. 



10. Tarantula Genus and species uncertain. 



11. Tick Lxodes (spec, uncertain). 



12. White grub Zeuzera eucalypti. 



13. Mole cricket Gryllotalpa coarctata. 



When we go through this list we will see that with a 



few exceptions only the names of insects are recorded 

 that are annoying to human beings. Anybody who has 

 been in the Tasmanian bush knows how annoying, for 

 instance, blow flies and ticks can be. 



(i) I am greatly indebted to Mr. A. Lea for the scientific 

 determination of the somewhat vague popular words. 



