ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 259 



portion, between the transverse cut and the tail, which he 

 keeps for himself, and gives the remainder to a friend. In 

 other words, the person who catches the fish gives away 

 about three-quarters of it to his fellows, and they divide 

 with him in a similar manner. 



Mugu or Forbidden Food. — When a youth is first 

 admitted to the status of a tribesman, either by means of 

 the Bunan 1 or by the Kuttya ceremonies, he is forbidden to 

 eat the male of the native bear, kangaroo, opossum, or 

 short-nosed bandicoot. Neither can he eat the emu, por- 

 cupine, pelican, or ducks. Schnapper, groper and eels are 

 also forbidden, but he may eat any other kind of fish but 

 those mentioned. The flesh of any animal which burrows 

 in the ground, or which has long teeth, is likewise inter- 

 dicted. He can, however, eat the long-nosed bandicoot, 

 swans, honey, yams and other edible roots. There are 

 other animals and plants beside those mentioned in the 

 above lists. 



Again, during the time a youth is out in the bush with 

 the old men, going through the initiation ceremonies, he 

 must only eat certain kinds of food, and his mother and 

 father are restricted to the same diet as he. And when a 

 novice is released from any taboo regarding food, in the 

 manner described farther on, his mother is freed at the 

 same time. Generally, however, the laws of taboo do not 

 apply to a woman — she is not thought of sufficient impor- 

 tance, but eats everything which is given her. 



Any food which falls to the ground under any circum- 

 stances, must not be picked up again by an adult person, 

 but young children may lift it and eat it. Eating the gum 

 of the grass-tree and certain others is interdicted, because 

 these gums are used in fastening handles upon stone 



1 " Bunan Ceremony," American Anthropologist, Vol. ix., pp. 327 -344, 

 with plate; Journ. Eoy. Soc. N. S. Wales, Vol. xxxiv., pp. 276-281 



