SOME CURIOUS STONES USED BY THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES. 363 



base. Moreover, two concavities in the base are of unusual 

 occurrence, a single depression being the normal condition. 

 The stone was found on Wilcannia Common, and weighs 

 4 lbs. 3 ozs., which is a great weight for its bulk. 



No. 7, a whitish argillaceous sandstone, 4f inches long 

 and 4 inches in circumference at the larger end. It is 

 uninscribed and is without the characteristic hollow in the 

 base. Found on Murtie Run, Darling River, and weighs 

 8 ounces. 



No. 8 represents a conical shaft of hard clay-slate, 11 

 inches long by a maximum diameter of 2 -£» inches. A 

 section through the shaft at right angles to the longitudinal 

 axis would be almost circular. An oval shaped concavity 

 has been ground into the base to a depth of ~h of an inch 

 in the deepest part. The weight of the implement is 2 lbs. 

 7 ozs. On the side represented in the illustration there 

 are 99 incised marks, many of which are horizontal or 

 nearly so, and are in pairs. About an inch from the pointed 

 end, one of the lines is cut completely round the stone. 

 Attention is also invited to 14 pairs of short, almost vertical 

 incisions, a form of marking which is somewhat uncommon. 

 The regular and symmetrical outline of this specimen, as 

 well as the extensive marking, show that considerable 

 labour has been expended upon it. Found on Tankarooka 

 Run. 



No. 9. This profusely incised specimen is a reddish 

 coloured rock, probably derived from basalt, rich in iron, 

 and may be described as a sandy Jaterite. A small portion 

 has been broken off the base and also off the apex, the 

 supposed extent of the missing parts being indicated by 

 dotted lines. The present length of the stone is 9J inches, 

 but was probably about lOf inches originally. The circum- 

 ference round the thickest part is 11 inches, and a section 

 through the stone at that place would give an elliptical 



