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they separate, and the guardians deposit each his charge at the front of the fire. 

 The youths then enter the hut, and the oldest woman, after eyeing her son all 

 over, lightly strikes him twice with a bopmerang. It is an understood signal, 

 at which all the novices immediately run from the camp back into the bush, 

 followed closely by all the men. 



The ceremonies are now completed, and the youths remain for a certain, 

 time, which is fixed by the old men, gaining their own living as best they can, 

 by catching such food-animals as are not forbidden to them. The rules under 

 which certain animals. birds etc., are forbidden are such ?s these: the novice may 

 not kill and eat — 



(1) Any animal that burrows in the ground, for it recalls to mind the foot- 

 holes where the tooth was knocked out; e. g., the wombat. 



(2) Such creatures as have very prominent teeth, for these recall the 

 tooth itself. 



(3) Any animal that climbs to the tree tops, for they are then near to 

 Daramulun; e. g., the native bear. 



(4) Any bird that swims, for it recalls the final washing. 



(5) Nor, abowe all, the Emu, for this is Ngalalbal, the wife of Daramulun 

 and at the same time „the woman"; for the novice during his probation is not 

 permitted even so much as to look at a" woman, or to speak to one; and even 

 for some time after he must cover his mouth with his rüg when one is present. 

 Vet on one occasion during his probation he is shown to his mother, in order 

 that her mind may be at rest concerning him. 



These food rules are only relaxed by degress by some old man giving the 

 youth a portion of the forbidden animal, or rubbing him with its fat. In some 

 of the tribes, e. g., the Wolgal, these food rules only become relaxed gradually, 

 so that it is the old man only who is free to use every kind of animal food. 



During the time of probation the young men a>e under the charge of their 

 guardians. But they are also visited and instructed by the old men. After a 

 time, as the Council of eiders is satisfied that the youth is competent to take his 

 place among the men, he is recalled and permitted to be present at the general 

 Councils, but he does not speak ut them, or take any part other than a passive one. 



After a still further period he is permitted to take the wife who has been 

 assigned to him by the arrangement of his and her father, and in acquiring her 

 he takes his sister (own or tribal), as an exchange — that is, as a wife for her own 

 or tribal brother. These mutual exchanges are often arranged at a general meeting 

 of all the people before the varions contingents tooth is taken care of by one of 

 the old men. Tt seems that there is no strict rule as to who shall first have 

 charge of it, but in any case it is passed from one headman to anothtr until 



