80 K. H. MATHEWS. 



towards the Belyando River, were divided into four sections called 

 Woonco, Coobaroo, Bunbury and Kurgielah, 1 which is practically 

 the same nomenclature as the tribes at Mackay and Maranoa 

 River. The intermarriages of the sections, and the names of the 

 offspring, were also identical. 



In 1886 Mr. E. M. Curr published the names of the same four 

 divisions as obtaining among the Kowanburra, Wokkelburra, and 

 other tribes on the Belyando and Suttor Rivers, Elgin Downs, 

 Bowen Downs, and the sources of the Alice. The particulars 

 were supplied to Mr. Curr by Mr. James Muirhead, a resident of 

 that district. This gentleman appears to have been the first to 

 draw attention to the native custom of each section being restricted 

 to certain kinds of food. He stated that the Bunbury section is 

 confined to opossum, kangaroo, dog, honey of small bee. Woongo 

 is allotted emu, bandicoot, black duck, black snake, brown snake. 

 Obur has carpet snakes, honey of stinging bee, etc. Kurgilla has 

 porcupine, plain turkey, etc. He also observed that Woongo and 

 Obur formed a primary division called Wootheroo, whilst the 

 other two sections were Mallera. 2 The primary division Mallera 

 is the equivalent of Youngaroo of the Mackay tribes. 



Some of Mr. Curr's correspondents reported the same four 

 sections among the tribes of the Nogoa and other head waters of 

 the Mackenzie River 3 ; and at Logan Downs, Peak Downs, etc., 

 where the primary divisions were called Youngaroo and Wootheroo, 4 

 being identical with those at Mackay. Other correspondents of 

 the same author discovered that the four divisions referred to also 

 obtain at the Cape River. 5 At Halifax Bay — at Hinchinbrook 

 Island, and on the mainland adjacent — identical sectional names 

 were reported to Mr. Curr, 6 and published by him in his valuable 

 work. 



1 Each of these names has a feminine equivalent : Wooncoan, Coo- 

 barooan, Bunburyan, and Kurgielan. 



2 The Australian Kace, (1886) in., 26, 27. 3 ibid., in., 91.* ibid., in., 65. 



5 Ibid., n., 468. Mr. Curr mentions the names Utheroo (Ootaroo), and. 

 Multburoo (Mallera), as occurring on the Cape River. 



6 Ibid., ii., 418, 425 and 427. 



