ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 261 



tamers make a bed for him by placing small sticks on the 

 ground and covering them thickly with leaves. On all 

 subsequent occasions he must make his own sleeping place. 



A mother-in-law receives food from her son-in-law while 

 sitting clown. She does not reach out for it, but he sends 

 some one to place it in her lap. He must not approach 

 his mother-in-law himself, and if any conversation takes 

 place, their backs must be turned towards each other. In 

 such case she would clap her hands, indicating that she 

 wished to speak to him. See also " Language of Mothers- 

 in-law," infra. 



When a man is out hunting, he will not kill his totemic 

 animal, no matter what opportunity he may have of doing 

 so ; and if his. totem be an edible plant, it is likewise left 

 uninjured by him. It is believed that thus allowing the 

 animal to escape, or leaving the plant unplucked, will 

 augment the supply and increase the fruitf ulness of such 

 game or vegetable. 



It is apparent, therefore, that a specific animal or plant 

 is left unliarmed by each individual in the tribe, whether 

 male or female. Supposing, for example, that ten men go 

 out into the bush in quest of food. Every man of the party 

 will take care that he does not injure his own totem during 

 the day's rambles. If we assume that each hunter has a 

 different totem, then each man will allow a certain object 

 to go free ; or in other words, ten different animals or 

 plants will not be molested. But in such an expedition 

 there would generally be groups of men belonging to the 

 same totem. For example, there might be three kangaroo 

 men, two iguana men, one porcupine man, and four yam 

 men. Then, three of the party would not harm a kangaroo 

 under any circumstances, two would allow iguanas to 

 escape, one would not interfere with a porcupine, and four 

 would not gather yams. Let us suppose that a mob of 



