ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 291 



sectional names may have originated from repeated par- 

 titions of larger groups, but this is a controversial point 

 which need not be investigated here. 



It is shown by the table that the children of both sexes 

 take the phratry name of their mother. This law also 

 extends to the clans ; for example, a Dyalupgurk produces 

 Dyalup children. And if she belong to the porcupine totem, 

 her offspring will be porcupines too. Again, the miyur of 

 the progeny has the same name and compass bearing as 

 that of their mother. To sum up the statements in this 

 paragraph — the children take their phratry, clan, totem 

 and miyur from their mother ; or what amounts to the 

 same thing, from their mother's brother. 



Every individual in the community claims some animal, 

 plant or inanimate object as his own special totem, which 

 he inherits from his mother. But all the totems of his 

 fellow-clansmen are friends of his. For example, if you 

 ask a Wartwurt man what totem he is, he will tell you his 

 own totem, and will then probably go on to enumerate 

 those of his clan. 



The general law is as just laid down, but there are some 

 irregularities upon which I shall make a few observations. 

 For example, among the Gurogity people, the clans Dyalup 

 and Burt-Murnya are so much alike that they almost merge 

 into each other, and have the same miyur or ancestral 

 home. These remarks apply to Nyaui and Kuttyaga; and 

 among the Gamaty folk the same thing is observed in 

 regard to Durrimurak and Wuran. 



Moreover, a man who belongs to Dyalup also claims Burt- 

 Murnya, whilst a Burt-Murnya man calls himself Dyalup 

 as well. Between Nyaui and Kuttyaga a similar affinity 

 exists, and also between Durrimurak and Wuran. If ever 

 Wiirt-Pattyangal and Pattyangal were in harmony, they 

 now belong to opposite phratries and can marry one with 



