in particular of the Port Lincoln District. 171 



they open the ant-hills, the}- find among the refuse the large 

 white maggots and eggs, Avhich alone are eaten ; in order to 

 save themselves the trouble of picking them Avith the hand, 

 they employ the " ynta/' as a kind of fan or sieve, the larger 

 and eatable partieles remaining back in it. As these maggots 

 are already alive, the natives wrap them in a bunch of dry 

 gi'ass, which they chew and suck until they have extracted all 

 substance. The season of these ants is in September and 

 October, and at this season only of the year will you meet 

 with the ''yuta " in their hands. 



In confirmation of the above, Mr. Blandowski mentions 

 that the Goulburn tribe also avail themselves of ants^ eggs, 

 and clean them in the following manner : — " They throw ants 

 and eggs, &c., into a kangaroo skin, which they shake 

 roughly, by Avhich the eggs, on account of their greater 

 specific gra^dty, arc precipitated to the bottom, and tke ants, 

 particles of wood, and other impurities on the surface, being- 

 then removed, the eggs are eaten raw, and resemble sago, 

 and possess a very peculiar aroma.^^ 



All their weapons and tools, together with various other 

 articles, they collect in their knapsacks, which they carry by 

 means of strings tied over their left shoulder and under the 

 left arm. It consists either of a kangaroo skin only, drawn 

 together with a cord, or of a coarse matting made of the 

 fibres of a certain kind of rush. The articles contained in 

 almost every knapsack are — a small flat shell for drinking, 

 a round flinty stone for bruising the bones of the game, 

 pieces of one or more kinds of colours, a small wooden shovel, 

 which they use for roasting roots, a few pieces of quartz, and 

 the entire skin of some small animal, Avhich answers the pur- 

 pose of a bag, into which they put the smaller objects they 

 require, such as sinews of kangaroo and pointed bones of 

 various sizes, which answer the purpose of thread and needle, 

 also some bones with sharp edges, for scraping the roots, 

 some spearhooks, &c. 



To prevent anything from dropping through the large 

 meshes of the network, they line it Avith dry grass. In addi- 

 tion to the articles mentioned, they put into their knapsacks, 

 called "nurti," a stock of roots and game, and then on the top 

 they place their weapons, Avhich are kept fast by being twisted 

 between the strings, so that they cannot slip off. The l)ags of 

 the Avomen, called '^nudla,'^ difter from those of the men in 

 being of a larger size, and, if filled and heavy, are carried on 

 the back bv means of crossbelts. 



