iS97. EXPEDITION TO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. 261 



As regards their primitive anatomical features, the three skulls 

 and one skeleton described in this volume, do not afford us a good 

 basis for further generalisation ; but it may be noted that in the two 

 skulls fully described, the cranial capacity is well under 1,300 cc. 

 and there is marked dolichocephalism. At the same time there is not 

 the pronounced prognathism that we find in some savage races, both 

 skulls being in this respect close to the boundary line between prog- 

 nathism and mesognathism. This valuable httle scrap of anatomical 

 knowledge indicates, then, that the Central Australian strikingly 

 approximates to what we have from previous knowledge considered 

 to be the average of Australian characters. 



Turning now to other anthropological features, we find that the 

 Central Australian's weapons are very largely composed of wood. 

 Wooden spears and shields, throwing-siicks, and boomerangs are his 

 characteristic weapons. Metals were unknown to him until the time 

 came when European travellers left meat tins behind them. He can 

 chip stones and even porcelain telegraph insulators and fashion them 

 into rough knives and spear heads ; but, as in the case of the 

 Tasmanian and Palaeolithic man, the idea of polishing stones or grind- 

 ing them to a smooth even blade has never occurred to him. 



The Australian is, however, a step in advance of his late 

 Tasmanian neighbour in the matter of weapons. He can not only 

 firmly fix his rough stone blades to sticks by means of resin and 

 sinews ; but he has invented two characteristic weapons, — the throw- 

 ing-stick and the boomerang. Professor Stirling's statement that the 

 Central Australian does not expect or intend the boomerang to return 

 to him when he throws it, will be uf interest to those who have tried 

 in vain to demonstrate the action of this weapon with specimens 

 taken at random from a mus«^um. 



To many anthropologists the most interesting portions of this 

 volume will be those wliich deal with the social cusoms, beliefs and 

 mental traits of the tribes visited by the expedition ; for in them we 

 find evidences of a past in the history of the Australian black about 

 which there must still remain much doubt and uncertainty. It is a 

 matter of regret that one who is so competent to form opinions as 

 Prof. Stirling in matters anthropological, should be so modest in 

 expressing them ; but, after attempting to read between the lines, we 

 cannot help feeling that Prof. Stirling must share the view that 

 socially the Australian has considerably degenerated. 



Mr. Gillen states in his account of the Arunta tribe that there is 

 no belief in a devil, and this is almost the only reference in the volume 

 to beliefs in spiritual beings. Several customs, however, which exist 

 among many tribes of Australians besides those of the Central 

 regions, indicate that formerly the belief in devils and spirits must 

 have been prevalent. The cutting of the hair, the various mutila- 

 tions of the body, and more particularly the practice of knocking out 

 the incisor teeth are, in all probability, customs associated with 



