ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. xli. 



ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS, DECEMBER 7, 1898. 



The General Monthly Meeting of the Society was held at the 

 Society's House, No. 5 Elizabeth-street North, on Wednesday 

 evening, December 7th, 1898. 



The President, G. H. Knibbs, f.r.a.s., in the Chair. 



Thirty members and one visitor were present. 



The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. 



The certificate of one candidate was read for the third time, of 

 one for the second time, and of one for the first time. 



The following gentleman was duly elected an ordinary member 

 of the Society : — 



Burfitt, Walter Fitzmaurice, b.a., b.Sc; Glebe Point. 



Messrs. David Fell and H. A. Lenehan, were appointed 

 Auditors for the current year. 



THE FOLLOWING PAPERS WERE READ : 



1. " The Group Divisions and Initiation Ceremonies of the 



Barkunjee Tribes" by P. H. Mathews, l.s. 



Mr. R. H. Mathews read a short article on the Group Divisions 

 and Initiation Ceremonies of the Barkunjees, a native tribe in 

 the western portion of New South Wales. He pointed out that 

 all the men and women in the community are divided into two 

 distinct groups, designated Keelparra and Muckwarra respectively, 

 the individuals of one group intermarrying with those of the other. 

 The inaugural ceremonies common among these tribes was next 

 briefly referred to. On the boys approaching puberty they are 

 taken away from the maternal control, and are kept under rigor- 

 ous treatment in the bush with the chiefs and wise men of their 

 tribe, for several weeks. During this period they are subjected to 

 the extraction of a front tooth, cutting off the hair, and the 

 ancient rite of circumcision. 



2. " Native Silver accompanying Matte and Artificial Galena," 



by Professor Liversidge, m.a., ll.d., f.r.s. 



