12 MEMOIES OF THE QV EENSLANI' MUSEUM. 



• Purification by removal of soluble material in dilute potash solution and 

 re-solution of the residue in large volumes of water, whence it was obtained by 

 shaking out with ether, yielded a white waxy body giving the characteristic 

 colouration with sulphuric acid and ferric chloride and melting at 68°-72° C. 

 The purified compound is extremely toxic; a concentration calculated at 1 part 

 in 3,000,000 proved rapidly fatal to test fish. Greshoff states his material to be 

 effective at 1 : 5,000,000. 



The presence of saponin is also indicated in D. loolgihberah. An infusion 

 of 1 : 80 concentration slowly hfemolysed a suspension of red corpuscles. 



TEPHROSIA ROSEA, F. v. M. 

 " TE-UMA " of Mapoon and Pennefather River natives. 

 This shrub is one of the most effective poisons used in Cape York Peninsula. 



The use of Tcphrosia species has been almost universal. Among ten 

 different species of fish-poisons used in the Oriental region two are common to 

 Queensland, viz., Dcrris uliginosa and Tcphrosia.^^ Among the North American 

 Indians certain roots were used (that of a species of Tcphrosia most commonly) 

 "so that the stupefied fish could be secured by means of bows and arrows" 

 (Speck). ^~ Tcphrosia vogclii, Hook., is used with effect in Rhodesia,-^ and the 

 use of T. toxicaria and 2\ periculosa is referred to by Greshoff. 



Tcphrosia purj)urca, Pers., the "Etu-Maru" of the Torres Strait natives, 

 has been forwarded to us from Mabuiag Island by "W. C. Minniss, who states that 

 the whole plant is employed. It is surmised that the plant, being indigenous to 

 Queensland, was probably also used here, though we have no record of the fact. 

 T. astragaloidcs. II. Brown, is referred to by Roth as employed in the Cloneurry 

 and Upper Flinders River districts. 



Two species of Tcphrosia have been observed in use in the Northern 

 Territory. A specimen in the Adelaide Museum is marked T. lamprolohoides, 

 and comes from that indefatigable collector and observer, T. Foelsche. 

 T. purpurea is referred to by Ewart and j\Iorrison in their " Flora of the 

 Northern Territory. " ^^ In the Territory, however, the art would appear to have 

 been restricted in its application. M. J. Colclough informs us that he saw no 

 poisons in use along the coast in the Roper River district, where the country is 

 crossed by running streams Init pools are at a discount. Here fish are obtained 

 in shallow water by spearing, and in deep water the natives not only spear but 

 resort to the use of fish-traps with a funnel-shaped entrance or drive at the 

 mouth. In localities where from the presence of pools poisoning might be 

 resorted to, the danger of crocodiles eating the catch limits the practice. 



Neither Stirling nor Baldwin Spencer makes any mention of the use of 

 poisons as far south as Central Australia. The former, in a letter to one of the 

 authors, states "that he has never heard of the custom in the MacDonnell Ranges, 

 where, from the localised and restricted conditions of the waters, it might be 

 practicable. The natives there do, however, poison with pituri (Duhoisia 

 hoptvooclii) the water where emus drink. "^° 



"^ 20 Tenison-Woods, Rev. J. E., Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vol. iii., 1888. 



^" Vide Handbook of American Indians, Bureau Amer. Ethn., B\ill. 30, " Poisons." 



^28 Investigations of Vegetable Drugs and Poisonous Plants, Bull. Imp. Institute, vol. 13, 



No. 1, 1915, p. 28. 



r^Q -^ A. T. Ewart & A. Morrison, Contributions to the Flora of Australia, No. 21, Proc. Roy. 

 Soc. Victoria, vol. 26, pt. i., 1913. 



.:^" E. C. Stirling, Anthropology, Horn Expedition, 1896, vol. 4, p. 52. 



