Jan. 2, 1890] 



NATURE 



201 



As the people live in small groups, they have, of course, 

 the germs of social life ; but more than this they can 



scarcely be said to possess. But they have aptitudes 

 which have been naturally developed in the circumstances 



Fig. 2. — Wallaby Hunt. 



in which they spend their lives. They display extra- 

 ordinary cleverness in climbing trees, and their sense of 



they have considerable skill. Fig. i represents a brow- 

 band of native workmanship (5 size). This specimen 

 however, comes from Central Queensland. The Austra- 

 lians are generally supposed to throw the spear well, but 

 Mr. Lumholtz never discovered any remarkable ability of 

 this sort among the blacks of Herbert River. Fig. 2, 

 represents a wallaby hunt, which he had an opportunity 

 of seeing. He says : — 



" Soon those who had remained behind spread them- 

 selves out, set fire to the grass simultaneously at different 

 points, and then quickly joined the rest. The dry grass 

 rapidly blazed up, tongues of fire licked the air, dense 



Fig. 3. — Peculiar position of natives resting. 



smell is so keen that it is invaluable to them when they 

 are tracking wild animals. In various kinds of handiwork 



Carralinga 



come here to-morrow 



and take Nowwanjung. 



Fig. 4. — Message stick, with interpretation of inscription. 



clouds of smoke rose, and the whole landscape was soon 

 enveloped as in a fog. I fastened up my horse and went 

 into this semi-darkness, watching the blacks, who ran 

 about like shadows, casting their spears after the animals 

 that fled from the flames. But though many spears 

 whizzed through the air, and though a large field was 

 burned, not a single wallaby was slain." 



Mr. Lumholtz often noticed natives resting in a most 

 peculiar position, represented in Fig. 3. " They stood 

 on one foot, and placed the sole of the other on the inside 

 of the thigh, a little above the knee. The whole person 

 was easily supported by a spear." This custom is said to 



