33 
have no proof to offer. Stephania is a genus of an order from which is obtained the so-called Cocculus 
indices, a drug well known to be employed in various countries in fortifying beer, and making it more 
intoxicant. Bentley states that it has been extensively used for a long period as a poison in taking fish 
and game. Further inquiry will probably prove that other plants of this family, as Cocculus Moorei, are 
also used by our aborigines in like manner. (J. Shirley in Proc, Roy. Soc. Qld. xi, 89.) 
As will be seen at p. 31, other plants belonging to this Family are used as 
fish poisons in the East Indies. 
Sapindacese. 
In the General Report of the Sydney International Exhibition of 1879, it is 
stated that the aborigines used the pounded bark of Cupania pseudortius A. Rich., 
to stupefy fish in waterholes. It is a native of the north coast district of our State, 
and is also found in Queensland. 
Leguminosse (Mimosa). 
The late Sir William Macarthur stated that the bark of Acacia fakata, 
Willd., a small tree found on the coast districts, and sometimes known as " Sally," 
or " Hickorv " used to be used bv the aborigines of the counties of Cumberland 
* * 
and Camden, in this State, for poisoning fish. The native name for it was 
"Wee-tjellan." They also employed the bark to make embrocations for the cure of 
cutaneous diseases. 
Another "Hickory" or " Blackwood." (Acacia penninervis Sieb.) was used 
by the natives of Southern New South Wales for catching fish. I have heard that 
both the bark and the leaves were employed. 
It is mentioned by Sir Thomas Mitchell that the blacks of the interior made 
use of the bark of the "Goobang" (Acacia salicina Lindl. var. varians), usually 
known as " Cooba," or " Native Willow," for poisoning the fish in small lagoons, 
and Mr. W. Hill stated that the natives of the Fitzroy River (Queensland) put it to 
a like purpose. See Part XXXIV, p. 149. 
Leguminosse (Papilionacese). 
A leguminous shrub known to botanists as Derris uliginosa, Benth. is found 
in Queensland and Northern Australia, and the pounded leaves are thrown into 
water for the purpose of stupefying fish by the natives of many tropical countries. 
No doubt this property was found out accidentally in the first place ; a broken 
bough fell into the water and it was noticed that the fish came to the surface, 
Dr. Roth gives the following account of the operations of certain North 
Queensland blacks : 
The steins are hammered on a stone or log (during which operation there emanates a peculiar 
.smell), put up into bundles and roasted, and finally thrown into the water, which it renders more or less 
soupy. It is thus used at Cooktown : On the (Lower) Tully River the leaves are rather employed, 
I'spcciiliv for eels. Cooktown, " Mokorja "; (Lower, Tully River scrubs, " Mara.' 1 (North Queensland 
Ethnography, Bull. No. 3, Roth.) 
