
ABORIGINES OF THE SOUTH-EAST OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA 487 
either after breaking the rim or by making the window. [The Turbo shells in 
some places preponderatingly shawed the window and in other places the breaking 
of the outer ip. Both may coexist, The shells seem now not to be present in 
great numbers on the reefs, though livitig specimens can probably be easily 
secured. It seems doubtful whether they conld have formed an important item 
in the food supply of the natives if the shells were no more abundant in their day 
than now. It bas been suggested that the natives feeding upon these may have 
led to a great depletion in their numbers which has persisted to the present day. 
Next. to the Turbos, probably the most abundant shells were on common 
true Limpet Cellana tramoserica Sowerby and the coarsely-ribbed limpet-like: 
Patelloids alticostata Angas, both of which shells are still common on the rocks, 
while on some camp sites near long sandy shorelines, bivalves were prominent, 
especially Plebidonaw deltoides. A few shells were found of Fasciolarta australasia 
Perry with large windows on the convexity. A few shells were also noticed of 
Neothais textiliosa Lamarck without windows having been made in them, 
The little black Nenta melanotragus Smith was found occasionally in heaps, 
sometimes with marke of fre, the shells being mostly broken in two. Only iwo 
or three Oyster shells Osfvea senvata Lamarck (— 0. angasi) were found. There 
were a, few small mussel shells (Bruchyodontes erosus Lamarck). Near Black- 
fellows’ Caves 4 few nacreous common sand cockles Katelysia scalarine Lamarek 
were found. These were under a layer of more sandy soil in which were embedded 
a few fresh-water shells (Bulhinus?), This layer was several feet thick, the upper 
surface forming the platform which was on a level with the kitehen middens con- 
taining the Turbos. 
Near Cape Banks particularly, 2 number of large mutton-fish shells were 
found amongst the Turbos. Thess belong to two species, Schismotes laevigata 
Donovan (= H. albicans Quoy and Gaimard), a smooth-surfaced shell up to § in. 
in length by 6 in, and with an animal weight of 8 oz., and Notohaliotis canicopera 
Peron, with raised bars on the outside and up to 5 in. in length by 4 in, and an 
estimated weight of the contained animal of 4 oz, 
These Mutton-fish shells were mostly intact, and presumably from their 
numbers the living animals were collected for food. Unless taken by surprise, 
the mutton-fish shell adheres with remarkable tenacity to its attachment and 
would require a ereat force to remove it. If taken unawares, it can be prised 
off by a snitable implement of blade-like form. Stones of the required thinness 
and shape to do this would be difficult to find and would probably break. Ordinary 
sticks would be unsuitable and not strong enough. An implement like a digging 
stick of bard wood with a bevelled end hardened in the fire might be successfal— 
by analogy with the Mulga (Acacia aneura) digging sticks of the interior, the 
wood of an acacia such as the Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) or the Golden 
Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) or perhaps Acdeia decurrens might have been strong 
enough for the purpose. 
G, French Angas states (p. 162) that. Haljotis shelle were used for carrying 
water—presiimahly this would be the smooth-shelled species, as the ather speries 
has natural orifices in the shell. He saw quantities of limpets and these large 
Hatotis shells in 1844 around native wells near Rivoli Bay. 
Tt. was noted that on camp sites near the top end of Lake Bonney, which is 
near a long stretch of sandy coastline, shell remains were almost exclusively bi- 
valves, especially Plebidonaz deltoides (including some extremely large examples), 
with an absence of gastropod remains which are so wumerons om sites near the 
rocky parts of the coastline, These bivalves are also found at the Beyilaqua’s Ford 
site. 
As Mrs. Smith gives a native name, kol-ong-kel, for the octopus, probably 
tephalopods such as octopi and squids were eaten when they were secured, 
