238 Macieay Memoriat Vouume. 
escaped that painstaking author, the late R. B. Smyth, who figures* a portion of one 
with four lines of loops like our fourth example above. 
The second type of boomerang resembles the /Vonxguzm,t+ or ‘ come-back 
boomerang,” of the southern portion of the Continent, but it is difficult to say much 
about them without an actual trial. They are slightly plano-convex, uncoloured, 
devoid of sculpture, and have much the appearance of the above weapon, but are 
longer. The largest is two feet five inches long, two and a half inches wide, and 
weighs six ounces. 
The third and last type is that of the West Australian Ay/e.{ These are very 
roughly made weapons, apparently adapted roots of a light-coloured timber, rather 
than wholly shaped out by the hand of the operator. They possess a peculiarly abrupt 
and sharp curvature. One is perfectly plain, but the other is ornamented by a 
zig-zag figure like a snake. One half the convex side is covered with bi-undulating 
lines. Length, two feet ; breadth, two inches; and weight, six ounces (Pl. xxxu. 
figs. 5 and 6). 
A very close representation of the second of these weapons is given by Eyre,§ 
even to the figure of the snake. He terms it the Wangn or Wangno, but no special 
reference to the locality is made. The resemblance to the figure of the Ay“e given 
by Smyth is very marked, especially in the double curve. 
Sworbs. 
The Aboriginal weapon termed a “sword” is a heavy wooden instrument used 
at close quarters in single combat. An illustration of a duel with swords will be 
found in Lumbholtz’s work.|| By different authors they are said to be both single and 
double-handed, and from their weight and general want of balance they are not 
weapons likely to commend themselves readily to the good opinion of the White-man. 
They are neither used for thrusting nor striking, I believe, at any rate not the 
heavier kinds, but are swung at an opponent, who protects himself with a shield. 
It is nothing uncommon to see examples of the northern shields of a certain type 
with large pieces notched out of the margins with these swords. They seem to vary 
chiefly as regards size, width, amount of curvature, and ornament. 
In the Alligator River Tribe the sword is known as JZeyarro/. The collection 
contains two varieties of the same type, a narrowly paddle-shaped weapon, lessening 
* Aborigines of Victoria, 1878, I. p. 329, f. 112. 
+ Aborigines of Victoria, 1878, I. p. 315, f. 99f. 
+ Aborigines of Victoria, 1878, I. p. 336, f. 140. 
§ Journ. Exped. Discovery Central Australia, 1845, II. t. 3, f. 8. 
|| Amongst Cannibals, 1890, p. 125. 
