58 THE OVEN-MOUNDS OF THE ABORIGINES IN VICTORIA. 
cold wet soil, and more agreeable for the feet of the aborigines in 
rainy weather. owing something for this suggestion, there 
still remains the outstanding question, how were the stone ovens 
not used in other parts of Australia? The point is every wa: 
send of notice, as it may help to give a clue to the course of 
migration in the original occupation of the country by the blacks. 
ANTIQUITY OF OVEN-MOUNDS. 
Tt has been noticed that trees are to be seen growing out of the 
oven-mounds. None, however, have been seen by the writer 
S, 
the large accumulations in the Mortlake district, it remains to 
seen what evidence may come to light bearing on the question 
whether aboriginal man in Australia was contemporaneous with 
any species of our extinct fauna. We have also the evidence 
which may be deduced from the size of the oven-mounds. But 
here there are some elements calculated to perplex the problem. 
We may indeed measure the existing accumulations, but the 
question arises, how much larger would they have been but for 
the quantity of ashes dissipated by the prevailing winds? As to 
the space occupied by the stones of the ovens, soars such exist, 
measurement can approximately determine how much deduction 
is to be made on this score. ce ere is, however, ae more difficult 
mixed up with the ashes, on weaenind of the cooking arrangements 
before noticed. hile considering this question the writer ob- 
rved the common ash-heap which had been formed in a country 
locality connected with a European dwelling. It was about the 
size of one of the smaller oven-mounds to be seen in the Meredith 
district. It had been formed in about ten years by a family of 
about ten persons. There is this very important point, that the oper- 
ation of the prevailing winds, in causing the ashes to be drifted away 
ov a 7 benearly equalin both cases, the aboriginal and 
e Europea oceeding tentatively, are there any even general 
fabbeaees Ms whi ch we can come? Let us put together such 
rials as there are to bear upon the The oven-mounds 
in the Meredith district may vs rood es as varying in contents 
between 100 cubic feet and 500. In a space of about 14 
miles by 10 the writer counted forty oven-mounds. Then let us 
suppose that an — mound of ashes and charcoal would tr 
ae tip 
district in eas, ano podeding to a census taken i the New een 
Wales Government at the time. But the same 200 roamed ov 
the whole of what is now the county of Grant in Victoria, ats 
