358 R. H. MATHEWS. 
As arule, very little more than the hand is ever depicted in 
the native drawings, and the hand with part of the arm attached 
is considered very rare. It will be observed that two of the figures 
in this cave show the arm as far as the elbow, which makes them 
unusually interesting. 
Mr. W. G. McAlpin who resides on the Wollombi Brook about 
three miles from these caves, told me that he used to know of 
another cave with aboriginal drawings on its walls, similar to 
those which I have been describing, some miles further to the 
westward, but of late years the rock in which the cave was situated, 
has fallen over on its face covering the entrance to the recess in 
which the drawings appeared. 
The practice of rock painting by the aborigines has been observed 
from the time of the earliest explorers and is universally distributed 
over Australia, having been observed in different parts of New 
South Wales, in Queensland, and in Western Australia, but there 
appears to have been very little attention paid to it. 
I have confined myself as much as possible to descriptions only 
of these drawings, and have not attempted to connect them with 
the myths and superstitions of the Australian aborigines ; neither 
have I speculated on their supposed totemic or symbolical mean- 
ings. I have left these researches for those better qualified to 
follow them out than I am, or have more time at their disposal. 
I have prepared a plan (see Plate 18) drawn to scale, which 
shows the correct position of the caves with regard to the nearest 
purchased lands, with the names of the Parish and County in 
which each is situated, so that anyone wishing to visit them can. 
do so with facility. 
