59 



Malay proas that have been in the habit of visiting the 

 north coast of Australia for many years past."^ 



A photograph of similar bark drawings said to c-ome from 

 east of Port Darwin (possibly the Roper River), is in the 

 local museum at Palmerston. By kind permission of the 

 Curator, Mr. N. Holtze, I have made the tracings reproduced 

 on pi. xix. Practically the same objects as those figured in 

 the preceding plates are represented. 



The kangaroos of figs. 1 and 2 are not unshapely, and 

 the attem])t to reproduce a bird of prey perch-ed upon the 

 one in the former figure is unusual. Wickham, in his ''Notes 

 on Depuch Island, t figures a group in which a similar occur- 

 rence is depicted. In the explanation he writes that it 

 "appears to be a bird of prey having seized upon a kan- 

 garoo-rat." 



The remaining drawings of fig. 2 are, no doubt, intend- 

 ed to represent turtles. 



Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are well-finished designs of fish of seve- 

 ral species. 



Fig. 6 clearly represents a saw-fish fPristis sp.) ; fig. 7, 

 a group of dugongs fHalicoi-e australis) : fig. 8. two turtles; 

 and fig. 9, a crocodile. Judging from the position of the 

 eyes, the last-named figure is intended to represent the dor- 

 sal surface of the animal, but it will be seen that the artist 

 also clearly drew the anus. 



Fig. 10 is an unusually bold design of a snake. 



In conclusion, I have to acknowledge my indebtedness 

 to Messrs. P. Foelsche and N. and W. Holtze for the instruc- 

 tive series of photographs, and to Professor E. C. Stirling, 

 C.M.G., F.R.S., for kind assistance with my manuscript. 



* Cj. Flinders: Voyage to Terra Anstralis, 1814, vol. ii.. p. 228. 

 t Journ. Roy. Geogr. Soc, Lend., vol. xii.. 1842, p. 79, 

 fi^'. 71. Stokes subsequently published it in his 'Discoveries in 

 Australia," 1846, vol. ii. ; and more recently Worsnop : Pres. Ad 

 dress. Sec. Ethnology and Anthropologv, " Aiistr. Assoc. Adv. 

 Science, vol. v., 1895, 1, et op. cit. 



