90 
HORN EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
convex surface of the thrower—consisting of a single conchoidal facet; the 
opposite surface sliows small irregular facets of a similar conchoidal character. 
The actual edge is straight, in this particular instance, showing only the slight 
irregularities of fracture, and the transverse section of the working part, broadly 
speaking, resembles that of a thick morticing chisel. In the example figured the 
edge is not so even. 
This implement was carried by nearly every adult male together with his spears, 
and was the only working tool that I saw in the hands of the natives during the 
Expedition with the exception of a few—very few—stone knives and two chisel or 
adze-like instruments that will be afterwards described. The spear-throwers are 
certainly used for comparatively light work, such as paring the spears themselves, 
for I saw this being done, but whether they, or the stronger and heavier adzes, are 
regularly employed for severer work such as the manufacture of hard wood food 
and water vessels (“ Pitchis”) I cannot say. 
Shields — ^^Uikula” (Plate V., Figs. 11 and 11^). 
All the shields observed and collected during the Expedition were made of the 
soft wood of Erythrhia vesperiilio so that the same remark as to their importation into 
the district applies to them as to the “Pitchis” made of the same material vid. uifra. 
They are all of the same oval shape, though they vary in size and in the degree of 
convexity of the outer, and of the concavity of the inner, surface. The smallest of 
those collected was 22^ inches by 7 inches, and the largest 31 inches by 10 inches. 
The length of the bar, serving as the haft, did not exceed in any case 3| inches, 
and was, in many cases, still shorter while the subjacent hollow was correspondingly 
small. As previously stated these facts afford an indication of the small size of 
the native hands. Almost all were uniformly and copiously red-ochred all over, 
and two from Alice Springs showed signs of having been used as receptacles for 
blood. In fact we saw them so used. Several also showed charred transverse 
grooves on their convex surface, the result of their having been used for the 
production of fire by the ploughing method. Cracks, in some, had been mended by 
splicing with tendons, and in one a considerable depression had been neatly filled 
up with Triodia resin. The black cross-shaped patch, shown at the lower part of 
Fig. 11«, is a mass of the same resin stuck on for .some unknown reason. 
Boomerangs—'•'‘UramanjaP ^'■MarhvnrraS (Plate V., Pigs. 7 and 8). 
The boomerangs in common use (“ Uramanja ”) throughout all the regions 
visited are about 28 inches long and 2| inches wide and are characterised by a 
