PART IT.—NATIVE ART. 
During the passage through the ranges several opportunities 
were afforded of examining native cave drawings and primitive 
rock scratchings. The latter are made by simply scratching an 
angular fragment of rock upon the surface of a larger outcrop in 
such a way as to result in the formation of crude designs and 
imitative reproductions from nature. 
The first example of this type of native art was found in the 
Mann Ranges in the form of scratchings made upon the surface 
of an outcrop of diorite. (See Plate XI., fig. 1.) 
Starting consideration of the designs with the top row from 
left to right, we have as the first a hooked design,* whose 
interpretation is ambiguous, although possibly it is intended to 
represent a snake track. Following this we have one of those 
simple figures to which white man so readily gives the meaning 
of a “corroboree circle,” being at the same time in utter 
ignorance himself as to its precise significance. The large emu 
track on the right speaks for itself. Following up the bottom 
row a similar U-shaped curve lends no further clue to its 
explanation than the hook immediately above it.f The next 
group is undoubtedly meant to represent a bustard (Hupodotis 
australis) track ; the elongated central toe of the hinder imprint 
and the incomplete connection of it with the front are surely 
drawn to imitate the manner in which the bustard lazily scrapes 
the central toe along the surface of the ground when walking 
leisurely and unmolestedly. The meaning of the largest and 
central design, representing two circles one within the other, 
crossed by two arcs that intersect almost at right angles, is un- 
known, The last representation must be considered the same as 
the second. | 
Scratchings of a similar nature and also upon the surface 
of diorite were observed in the neighbourhood of Mount 
Crombie, south of the Musgrave Ranges. (See Plate XL, 
fig, 2), 
These designs were comparatively fresh. Chippings of the 
rock and other signs indicated that the site of the markings had 
* This curve and the one below it are not unlike the ** Churinga Ilkinia 
of the Ulpmerka” figured by Spencer and Gillen: The Native Tribes of 
Central Australia, fig. 133. Their conspicuous position, however, does not 
support this explanation. 
+ Similar U-shaped curves have been noted by Helms: Trans. Roy. 
Soc. S. A., vol. xvi., Part III., Plate XII. 
