BY FRITZ NOETLIXG, M.A.. Ph.D., ETC. 



297 



Th(jugh nothing is known as to the nutritious vakie 

 of emus, swans, and other eggs, we may take it that they 

 do not differ very much from an ordinary egg, which 

 contains — 



Per Cent. 



Water 73.5 



Protein 13.5 



Fats 1 1.6 



Carbo-hydrates — 



Salts i.o 



All data are wanting with regard to the vegetabilic 

 food. Nothing is known about the percentage of carbo- 

 hydrates in the pith of the fern tree or the root of the 

 common fern, but we may take it that it consists mostly 

 of woody fibre, and that the percentage of carbo-hydrates 

 is less than that of cabbage, viz., 5.8 per cent. 



As the Mylitta australis is a kind of truftle, the com- 

 position of this fungus should serve as a guide. It 

 contains : 



Per Cent. 



Water 72.08 



Non-nitrogenous substances . . 16.45 



Fat . . . 0.62 



Woody Fibre 7.92 



Ash 2.21 



We \\ill further assume that the tubers of the orchids 

 contain lo.i per cent, of carbo-hydrates, Hke the onion, 

 though this is certainly too high an estimate. It is, how- 

 ever, pretty certain that except in the Mylitta australis 

 and other fungi, as well a,s the tubers of the orchid, not 

 one of the vegetables consumed by the Aborigines con- 

 tained carbo-hydrates in any appreciable quantity. We 

 v.ill further assume that the average person requires per 

 day — 



Grams. 



Water 2,800 



Solids, viz. — 



(a) Protein 130") 



(b) Carbo-hydrates. .. 40^ (■ 618 



(c) Fat 84 ^^ 



The actual figures vary somewhat with age and sex, 

 as well as with the work. The maximum sems to be 824 

 grams., the minimum 460 grams., of solids. In order to 



