6 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAXD MVSFUM. 



Dogs are mainly responsible for the prevalence of hydatids. Tliesc animals 

 sleep under the blankets with the blacks and lick their mouths and sores ; frequently 

 they also use the same drinking and fdod utensils. 



FOLKLORE. 



Blacks in their primitive state were fond of their children and allowed them 

 to take great liberties with them without rebuff or angry word, and in shifting camp 

 the men would hoist the j-oungsters on their shoulders, who would secure themselves 

 with a good grip of the hair and would thus sit comfortably and be safe. 



On one of these outings, an old man \^ho was very fond of his grandson took 

 him into the scrub. The day was very hot and by and by a storm arose, and the 

 thunder and lightning became terrifying and rain fell in torrents. The old man, 

 who had hastened a long cUstance, had to cross a creek which he feared ^^•ould block 

 him as he was handicapped with the boy, so he stripped some bark for a temporary 

 shelter for the night. AU night long the rain poured down, and the man, who realised 

 that he could not swm the flooded creek and carry the boj', made up his mind to 

 leave him in the humpy and return to the old camp for food. Having told the little 

 chap to wait until lie returned he enclosed him in the temjjorary shelter with bark, 

 and put sticks against the bark to prevent it from being blown down. Having thus 

 made all secure, the old man started off at as quick a rate as the weather j)ermitted, 

 and on reaching the camp had some food and, with some for the boy, set out with 

 a mate on his second journey. But to their astonishment they could find no trace 

 of the little humpy or the sticks or the boy. Everytliing had chsappcared, search 

 as the J' would, and though they cooeed and shouted they got no reply. At last they 

 found dangUng from the limb of a tree a large chrysahs,^ and so came to the conclusion 

 that the boy had been changed into a grub securely housed in what represented 

 the humpy and its protective sticks.* 



THE ORIGIN OF THE MUMGOOBURRAS. 



A long time ago, one hot day, one of the yellow seed-pods'' gi'owing on Prairie 

 Creek opened and out of it came a young gin, j)lump of body and clear of eye. She 

 looked around and found tilings pleasing to her ; the season was good, the lagoons 



'The chrysalis is that of the case-nifith (simihir to the so-called "Faggot cage-moth"), 

 Enlometa clongata Saunders. 



I believe that the Singuleso call the same kiiiil of chiysHlis by a iiuine wliicli means " billet 

 of wood," and believo that the insects were once liiunnn beings who stole firewood on earth and 

 are forced to undergo appropriate punishment in the insect world. 



• On the authority of T. Illidgo (St. Lawrence, 30 years ago). 



'The yellow seed-pods above referred to are those of the " Ciittlo bush," I'iltospornm 

 pJiitli/iUMidcs lienth. 



