'ELaubman —Native Weapons and Implements from Australia, 63 
Mode of Attaching the Spear-heads. 
This is usually e:ffected by means of the spinifer gum, whicli is 
obtained from the porcupine grass (Triodia irrifans), a very annoying 
botanical product of ITorth-western Australia. The ''buck spinifer," 
from which this gum is obtained, covers vast areas of country, always 
marking a waterless district, as it flourishes on low rocks, or on their 
sandy soil, through which water rapidly disappears. It grows in a 
series of rounded tufts, composed of spines like exaggerated gorse 
thorns ; sometimes 12 to 18 inches long, and is the terror of men and 
horses alike. It exudes a peculiar gummy substance ; having an aro- 
matic odour, which might be compared to that of a mixture of rice 
and honey, which, at first rather pleasant, becomes after a time — that is, 
when travelling through it — insupportably nauseous. The gum attaches 
itself to one's clothes and person, and is difficult to get rid of. From 
this material the natives make a very tenacious cement, which is easily 
manipulated by heating, and on hardening bears a great deal of rough 
usage. With few exceptions, all the weapons I have here this evening 
have been fastened on to their shafts or handles by means of this gum. 
It will be observed on the bases of the flint spear-heads, and also on 
the spear-shafts from Kimberley, which I exhibit, but from which the 
heads have been removed. In the case of the fishing spears, it is 
superseded or supplemented by the use of native bone. 
I have here a lump of this cement found in a native camp. It is 
invariably a most important factor in a native kit ; fragments of the 
spines of spinifer may be observed in it. As to the mode of manufacture, 
I am by no means certain, as the natives did not seem willing to give 
information. As far as I could learn, it is made by crushing the 
spinifer, and mixing the product with the red gum which exudes from 
one of the Eucalypts, and subjecting the mass to heat. 
A similar gum is used by natives of the south for like purposes ; 
but it is obtained from the Grass tree " {Xanthorrhm). 
Speaks : their Character and Uses. 
Eefore considering other stone implements, it is as well here to 
describe the general character of the spears used by the natives of 
Kimberley. 
There are four species of spear used in Kimberley — 
1. The war spear, called Killawal. 
2. ,, large fishing spear, called Mongwal. 
3. ,, small fishing spear, with fish-spine barbs, called JfrtrtmJ^/^^?. 
4. ,, hunting spear, called Mannifilea. 
