AUGUST 10, i9cS. 



The General Monthly Meeting of the Society was held at 

 the Museum on Monday evening, August lo, 1908. 



Mr. T. Stephens, M.A., F.G.S., in the chair. 



THE FOLLOWING PAPERS WERE READ : — 



(i) On the Native Quarry at Syndal, near Ross. By Fritz 

 Noetling, M.A., Ph.D. 



The author first mentioned a reported aboriginal quarry at 

 Stocker's Bottom, near Ross. Some thought it was a myth, 

 and so he found it; but on further exploration he found such 

 a quarry at Syndal. Hundreds of thousands of fragments that 

 had passed through the hands of aboriginals were found lying 

 about. He exhibited specimens. From this quarry stone for 

 the implements used by the aboriginals was obtained. A vast 

 amount of time and labour must have been spent in vain by 

 the aboriginals whilst shaping their implements, and in con- 

 nection with these operations they used fire. The other quar- 

 ries of this character in Tasmiania, the lecturer said, were at 

 Cole 'Hill, near Melton-Mowbray; a small one near the railway 

 station, Pontville; one at Shene Estate; at Charlie's Hope, 

 Plenty; the Great Lake; on the road from Campbell Town to 

 Swansea; on the South Esk, near Perth; at Pipeclay Lagoon; 

 on the Tamar River; and on Mount Communication, near Salt- 

 water River. Most of these might, at any rate, be considered 

 as native quarries. He referred to the flints discovered in the 

 tertiary formation at Thenay, in France, as to the origin of 

 which there had been much controversy. 



Mr. R. M. Johnston spoke of the kinds of rock from which 

 the aboriginals formed their stone implements and weapons. 

 Among the natives of West Australia to-day there were to be 

 found the same primitive stone implements as were found after 

 the Tasmanian aborigines had disappeared; the West Austra- 

 lian natives preserved their ancient chip flints for sacred rites 

 purposes. 



(2) On a Native Burial Ground at Charlton, near Ross. By 

 Fritz Noetling, M.A., Ph.D. 



The author remarked that Ling Roth's book on the abo- 

 rigines of Tasmania had fully dealt with the character of these 

 burial places. The one under notice had been very carefully 

 examined. It seemed certain that the natives on this island 

 burnt their dead, but differences of opinion arose as to their 

 disposal of the ashes. It was pretty certain that they used to 

 smear their faces with the ashes. Some were said to have put 

 dead bodies in hollow trees, fencing them round with bushes. 

 They knew that the names of deceased persons were never 

 mentioned again, as the race were very superstitious about the 

 departed. He believed there were regular aboriginal burial 

 grounds, and his discovery on the Charlton Estate seemed to 

 settle the question. There were heaped up a number of little 

 mounds, in which large stones were embedded. There were no 



