286 T. DICK. 



shield marks were counted, the tree being sixteen feet in 

 girth. The manner in which the wounds had distorted the 

 tree was most interesting. Judging by other shield marks 

 and a knowledge of this species of tree, it was estimated 

 that some of the shields had been removed over five hun- 

 dred years ago. 



In cutting the rabbet, two kinds of stones were evidently 

 used, one of them was a shaped and ground axe made from 

 stone, and another was formed to fit the hand, and was not 

 ground, the edge being kept keen by chipping the blade. 

 In several instances ground stone axes from which part of 

 the face had jumped out, were found at the foot of the 

 trees. As most of the other species of trees that the native 

 had at his disposal were not suitable for getting shields, 

 this mangrove tree of this district was in the greatest 

 demand, and when the supply was exhausted, the native 

 had to resort to the Fig, for several fine specimens, showing 

 shield scars, have been procured. On investigating it was 

 found, however, that it was very seldom that other than 

 mangrove was used. 



Reasons for Selecting this Tree. 



In the introduction, reference is made to the preference 

 for this tree over all others by the aborigines, and from 

 my investigation into the subject, I think there can be little 

 doubt that it was owing to the fact that its timber splits 

 tangentially more readily in this direction than that of any 

 other tree in the bush, and indeed this timber is almost 

 impossible to split radially, a feature that would be a great 

 desideratum in material for the construction of a shield. 

 Description of Plates. 



Plate XLVII. — An aboriginal heliman or shield, now in 

 the possession of Mr. T. Dick. It is made from the Grey 

 Mangrove with stone implements and is twenty-nine inches 

 in length and eleven inches in width at the centre, being 



