BY FRITZ NOETI.ING, PH.D., ETC. II5 



The first word means " red," while in the second we 

 £nd the word for " white " (mallee). The first was there- 

 fore a " red " and the second a " white " mineral. Now, 

 w'hatever colours occur in topaz, red topazes are of such 

 rare occurrence, and to my knowledge only found in 

 Brazil, that it is hardly probable that this variety was 

 distinguished by the Aborigines of Tasmania under a 

 special name. 



I think it more probable that one of those interested 

 in the collection of native words showed a cornelian to 

 an Aborigine, and the latter simply replied " tendeagh," 

 meaning thereby " red." As it is pretty certain that 

 mineralogical knowledge was not the strongest point of 

 ;.the early settlers, the cornelian stone was mistaken for 

 a topaz. 



Topazes occur in Tasmania, as it is well known ; and 

 it is probable that the second word, indicating a " white " 

 stone, really refers to topaz. On the other hand, we 

 had under the heading pebble (rolled quartz) the words 

 kug'ha weenya. There seems to be a certain similarity 

 between the words " mugra " and '* kugha," but I am 

 unable to say whether this view is correct or not. The 

 scarcity of topaz pebbles in Tasmania, except Flinders 

 Island, suggests the idea that " mugra " rather means 

 •quartz, perhaps chalcedony, or even wood opal (i) than 

 topaz. 



However that may be, it is certain that under the 

 heading topaz two widely different minerals were in- 

 ■cluded. The first is a red one, most probably cornelian ; 

 the second a white one, most probably quartz or chalce- 

 dony, but most unlikely topaz. 



13. DIABAS, BASALT, & ARCHAEAN SCHIST. 

 — In a paper previously read before this Society (2), I 

 expressed the opinion that the words 



Lenn-parenna 

 Leni-carpeny 

 Loan-tennina 

 Noan-vale 



(i) Occurring in fine white opaque pieces near Mount 

 IMorriston. 



(2) The Aboriginal Designations for Stone Implements, 

 Pap. and Proceed. Roy. Soc. Tas., 1908. 



