22 



be the only locality in which large quantities of tin would be found, as 

 from information he had received he fully expected that other dis- 

 coveries should be made in the very imperfectly explored districts 

 lying to the south and west of Mount Bischoff. He need scarcely say 

 that all the country in the vicinity of the Mount had been applied for, 

 immediately after the discovery of the tin was made pubHc. 



Dr. Agnew informed the meeting that as Hon. Secretary to the 

 Society, he had had some correspondence in reference to the stone 

 implements of our Aborigines, with Mr. Brough Smyth (secretary for 

 mines, Victoria), who was writing on the subject of the Australian 

 Aborigines. On one point the evidence was conflicting. By some he. 

 Dr. Agnew, had been told that in addition to the stono implements of 

 which our Museum has several specimens, the Natives made use of others 

 after the manner of axes, that is, they fastened to them handles in the 

 shape of withes, bound round with the tendons of some animal. Other 

 observers think our Natives did not originally use these handles, 

 but learned how to attach them,, from some New South Wales Aborigines 

 who came to this country in the early days of its settlement. On the 

 occasion of his (Dr. Agnew's) recent visit to Melbourne, Mr. Brough 

 Symth, who was anxious to have all the information possible on the 

 point at issue, suggested to him the following queries, which were now 

 brought forward in order that a wide publicity might be given to them 

 when the official report of the meeting ai^peared in the newspapers : — 



1. Were tomahawks made by striking off flakes until the desired 



shape was obtained ; or were they simply pebbles of suitable 

 form taken from a river bed ? 



2. Did they grind or polish the cutting edge, and if so what means 



did they employ ? 



3. Of what kind of stone w^ere the tomahawks made ? 



4. Are there any tomahawks to be got in Tasmania ? 



5. Did they use gum in fastening the wooden handle to the head ? 

 Discussion ensued, from which it appeared the general belief of the 



Fellows present was, that the stone axe with the handle attached was 

 never used by our Natives until taught by those from the neigh- 

 bouring continent. 



The Secretary read a paper from Lieut. Legge, E. A., F.Z.S., M.K. A.S., 

 a corresponding member of the Societj'', now stationed in Ceylon, on 

 the Ploceus{baya (Blyth), the "Weaver Bird" of Ceylon. The paper, 

 which was illustrated by sj)ecimens of the Weaver Birds' nests, at 

 different stages of construction, was presented to the Museum by the 

 author. 



Sir James M, Wilson, after remarking that he had heard some 

 rumours as to the probability of a party of observation being established 

 at Possession Island on the occasion of the Transit of Venus in 1874, 

 enquired if the Victorian Government was likely to take any action in 

 the matter. 



The Hon. Secretary replied that he had not heard of any such 

 intention on the j^art of the Victorian Government, and in reference 

 to the question, proceeded to read a letter from Dr. Hooker, which 

 appeared in JVature for March 20th, 1873, page 384, in which it was con- 

 clusively shown that the station was quite unlit for the purpose of 

 observing the transit. 



[For further observations on Possession Island see " Voyage of Erebus 

 and Terror to the Antarctic Regions," vol. 1, page oO. It will be 

 remembered that Dr. Hooker was Botanist to this expedition. ] 



Some conversational discussion having taken place, a vote of thanks 

 was i>assed to the donors of presentations, and a special vote to Mr. 

 Legge for his very interesting paper. The proceedings then terminated. 



