BY HENRY TRYON. 



49 



2. Delineations of Natural Objects grouped to form picto- 

 graphic expressions, intelligible alone to those to whom the facts 

 to which they relate are previously accessible, which will include 

 the ordinary rock engravings or paintings whether on stone or 

 bark. 



3. Delineations of conventional symbols universally intel- 

 ligible amongst the blacks themselves, a class to which I refer 

 the present examples. 



Regarding the engravings from an intrinsic point of view, it 

 is not difficult to apprehend that some at any rate may represent 

 animals, especially when a native fashion in pourtraying objects is 

 borne in mind. I allude to that of tracing lines parallel to those 

 first intended to mark the bounding surfaces, a practice which 

 would certainly result in very attenuated objects. 



Without further conjecture, however, I wish to point out 

 what may be learnt by instituting a comparison with other figures 

 of conjectural meaning only found amongst the blacks, either on 

 their bodies or on their personal property. 



Fig. I resembles one of the figures given by Sir John 

 Fraser in his paper on the "Aborigines of New South Wales," 

 (Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., 1882, vol xvi, page 201) as that of 

 the "Mombarai " or drawing, i.e., the characteristic scar on arm 

 or chest, of a native of Queensland. 



Fig, 2 is evidently the equivalent of this " Momharai " 

 which a photograph of a Brisbane black well known as *' King 

 Sandy " plainly exhibits on the left arm. (PI. XII.) 



Fig. 3 is the counterpart of another similar mark also found 

 on the arm of a Brisbane black. (PI. XTI.) 



Fig, 2 also corresponds with the mark which forms a con- 

 spicuous pattern on a shield of a Queensland native as figured by 

 Brough Smith (Op. Git, vol. i, page 334). 



Fig. 4 finds its equivalent in a mark repeated several times, 

 on a boomerang of a Queensland black in the collection of the 

 Queensland Museum. (PI. XII.) 



I have no doubt also that numerous of the figures on the 

 rock tablet, if not all, could be similarly correlated with and illus- 

 trated by marks of this character, derived from such various 

 sources as indicated, which will be best seen by those 

 whose avocations lead them where the aborigines are still plentiful. 

 Reference to the paper above cited, will show the value of these 

 marks on their bodies as distinguishing signs toother natives, mark- 

 ing the tribe or sub-tribe to which the holders of them belong. Mr. , 

 Fraser who moreover regards these marks as symbols, further adds 



