FIBRES. 
Tue list of indigenous Australian fibre-plants could be extended 
almost ad infinitum. Valuable information in regard to the utiliz- 
ation of some of the fibres for paper-making will be found in 
a paper on the subject by Baron Mueller, in the Report of the 
Intercolonial Exhibition, Melbourne, 1886. For some further 
references to colonial fibres, see a paper by Mr. C, Moore, on 
the “Fibre Plants of New South Wales.” (Trans. Philos. 
Soc. WV.S.W., 1862-5.) 
At present no export trade is done in fibres, as none of 
excellence have been found abundantly available. 
The practice which aboriginals adopt of chewing fibrous 
plants to obtain fibre for making fishing-nets, etc., causes their 
teeth to be worn down to a dead level. This is one of the 
characteristics of an aboriginal skull. 
1. Abroma fastuosa, &.2r., N.O., Sterculiacez, B.FI., i., 236. 
The Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods says this plant was pointed 
out to him by Mr. Stuart as being of great value for the length 
and strength of its fibre. It is not endemic in Australia. 
Queensland. 
2. Abutilon oxycarpum, “v.12, (Syn. Sida oxycarpa, F.v.M.); 
N.O., Malvacez, B.FI., i., 204. 
The bark of this tree yields a useful fibre. This is a fibre- 
yielding genus. 
All the colonies except Tasmania and Victoria. 
3. Acacia decurrens, var. mollis, Wed/d., (Syn. A. mollissima, 
Willd.); N.O., Leguminosz, B.FI., ii., 415. 
“Silver Wattle.” “Black Wattle” (of the older colonists of New 
South Wales). ‘‘ Garrong”’ of the aboriginals of Victoria. 
