of their skin when trying to creep within range of game, 

 and they always take the precaution to remove any articles 

 of civilized clothing. The effect is increased by smearing 

 their bodies with the mud of the adjoining country. 



The assimilation of the colour of their natural skin to 

 that of "rust-coloured" boulders of granite and other rock is 

 marked, not only in these tribes, but throughout the conti- 

 nent. At OpiDarinna Spring, in the Musgrave Ranges, one 

 day, had it not been for the alertness of my camel, I should 

 have ridden over the huddled figure of a girl w^ho w^as hiding 

 from her mates among the numerous rocks, which she endea- 

 voured to resemble by assuming the recumbent position and 

 tucking her head and arms between her knees. The colour 

 and form of her back corresponded so nearly w'ith those of 

 the rocks, that it required m.ore than a casual inspection to 

 recognize a living human figure. 



A hunter often awaits his prey in ambush in a water- 

 hole by concealing every part of his body under water, except 

 his head, and, when occasion requires, with nothing but his 

 nose visible above the water. When pursued by foes, he 

 seeks refuge in a similar manner, and in that case takes every 

 care that his breathing does not betray his presence by caus- 

 ing a ripple upon the surface of the water. After the Daly 

 River massacre* the few natives that escaped the rifle-bullets 

 of the avenging whites saved their lives in this manner. 



The kangaroo is hunted with the spears, known as m al- 

 ii girrima and clawingira. Four or five men post themselves 

 in concealment along a w^ell-known and frequented pad that 

 is utilized by the game on its way to a waterhole, or cover. 

 A large party, including men, women, and children, disperse 

 in the direction where kangaroos are known to be grazino-. 

 On drawing near to the animals, all the beaters begin to 

 sing and shout, ''Te-wo o-ho, ye-wo-o-lio,'' as they dart along 

 through the bush, and continue until a kangaroo is sighted, 

 which is immediately pursued wdth excited cries of ''Ynhdii, 

 yalxan.'' On hearing this shout, the men in ambush become 

 alert, and as the prey leaps by, along the pad, the nearest of 

 them instantly rises to hurl his spear. 



If he is successful in his aim he raises a loud and shrill 

 shout of "Kdii" as a signal to the driving party, wlio then 

 assemble at the spot. 



A native considers that the most effective part in which 

 to wound a kangaroo is in the hind leg, particularlv if the 

 bone should be broken. If struck in the upper part of the 



* Ree T?er)ort Government Geologist : Pari. Paper, No. oo, 

 Adolaide, 1906. 



