1900. ] MATHEWS—SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES. 635 
with the pudenda prominently exposed, around whom the men 
execute many libidinous dances. 
On a Bora ground at Gundabloui, Moonie river, in addition to 
Byama and his female consort, there were the images of a man 
and woman lying together behind a tree‘ in the act of copulating. 
Similar shouting and dancing to that just described was indulged 
in around these figures. 
Bora grounds always consist of two circles, defined by a low 
bank of loose earth, with a pathway connecting them, called 
thoonburnga, a word derived from ¢hoon, the Kamilaroi name for 
the penis. The initiated men in going from one circle to the 
other walk along this track, which is supposed to represent the 
penis of Dharramoolan, a mystic evil being who is said to preside 
over the Bora ceremonies. 
When the men assemble at the Bora circle and proclaim their 
totems, as described in my previous memoirs,’ they also shout out 
the name of the penis. Certain localities in their territory are 
called by names made up from those of the genital organs of both 
sexes.*- In many tribes the sacred bullroarer is rubbed upon the 
penis of every novitiate present at the inaugural rites. 
During the secret portions of the ceremonies, the novitiates are 
placed sitting on bushes on the ground, with their hands clutching 
their genitals. The men place themselves in many obscene atti- 
tudes, in some cases fastening a piece of bark to the penis to give 
it the appearance of being of great length.* At other times they 
smear that organ with blood to make the boys believe that they 
have a menstrual flow, like the women. In some instances the men 
rub their penis on the food given to the novices; in others, they 
stand in front of the boys, displaying their genitalia, and invite 
them to take particular notice.* 
In the pantomimic performances in the bush, in which the 
totems are represented, a man is hidden in a hollow place in the 
surface of the ground and covered over with leaves. When the 
men of the Kooringal presently turn him out of his lair—pretend- 
ing to the novices that they think it is the nest of a gigantic bandi- 
1 Gourn. Anthrop. /nst., London, Vol. xxiv, p. 416. 
2 Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, Vol, x, N.5S., p. 4. 
% American Anthropologist, Washington, Vol. ii, N. S., p. 141. 
* Tbid,, Vol. ix, N..S., p. 166. 
5 Fourn. Roy. Geog. Soc. Aust., Queensland Bch., Vol, xv. 
PROC AMER PHILOS. SOC. XXxXIx. 164. PP. PRINTED JAN. 19, 1901. 
