237 



ANTHROPOLOGY. 



By KICHARD HELMS. 



EXPLANATOKY PnEFAOE. 



Tlie iU-coiijp;inyi7ig paper on tlie aborigines lias been written 

 by me in response to repeated requests. 



It was not my original intention to publish these observations, 

 which were made merely to gratify my own desire of acquiring 

 some information concerning the habits and customs of the AufT- 

 tralian aborigines. 



^ As Naturalist of the Elder Scientific Expedition, such a Ihie 

 of enquiry lay altogether outside my duties, whicli were so mul- 

 tifarif)us that my ordinary time would not permit of a systematic 

 study of the subject. On this account my observations are often 

 extremely fragmentary. 



The " Extracts from my Diary " are the impressions as they 

 were conveyed to my mind at the time, and were jotted dowii 

 while fresh in my memory. For this reason T have given them 

 m full, even at the risk of occasional repetitions in tlie course of 

 the papei'. 



Regarding some ideas advanced by me in the context, and tlie 

 conclusions drawn from them, although not pretending to pose as 

 an undisputed authority in this matter, J can only court fair 

 criticism, which I cordially invite. 



^ To my friends, Messrs. C. Fuller and I). N, Saunders, of 

 Sydney, I owe my warmest thanks for the various drawings that 

 accompany this paper, the execution of which it is needless to 

 praise, as the plates speak so graphically for themselves. 



Plates '-iO to 39 are reproductions from negatives taken by tlie 

 medical officer of the Expedition, Dr. Elliott, during the trip. 



Tlie paper was written in July, 1893, with the intention of 

 publisliing it before the end of that year. Unforeseen circum- 

 stances, however, delayed its publication, and it is only now, 

 after more than two years, that opportunity has been afforded 

 Me of revising the MS. for the press. In this my friend, Mr. F. 

 E. Guthrie, Chemist to the Department of Agriculture, Sydney, 

 has rendered me most valuable assistance, for which I take this 

 opportunity of thanking him. 

 Sydney, August, 1895. 



