126 
IIORV EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
The explanations to the plates will sufficiently indicate the localities where 
these drawings were observed. 
They were as a rule simple in design, and their natural rudene.ss of execution 
has somewhat disappeared under the hand of the artist. It is perhaps necessary 
to add that, though the figures are almost all drawn to scale, in their arrangement 
on the plates, regard has been had for economy of space rather than for their 
relative positions on the rocks. As will be seen, certain designs are obvious, if 
rude, representations of animals or of their tracks, in others the significance is not 
clear. With respect to the more geometrically designed figures, we were told that 
they represented patterns used for the decoration of the body in corrobboree.s, 
which is probably correct, as we saw such patterns. The same fondness for series 
of concentric circles is here observable as on the ceremonial sticks and stones, and 
so again the partly crescentiform and partly tri-radiate patterns, of which Figs. 8, 
9 and 11 in Plate IV. are examples, are fi’equently found repeated. 
AVhile the significance of some of the drawings were readily recognised by the 
natives, of others they professed ignorance ; and I think the only case in which 
we were really aided by their information was in Plate IV., Fig. 1, which is very 
obviously what it is stated to be, though the point of view is peculiar. Probably 
some of them are merely idle scribblings without real meaning. 
It will be noted that the only attempts at the portrayal of the human figure 
are the rude heads shown in Plate III., Fig. 11, while of animals, lizards and 
snakes are most frequently represented. 
I did not actually sec any of the drawings executed, but I was informed they 
were done either with the finger or with an improvised brush made out of a stick. 
The nature of the pigments used have been indicated elsewhere, and in some 
places .signs existed of the pulverisation of these either in shallow, mortar-like 
depressions in the solid basement rock or on flat stones similar to those used for 
grinding seeds. When used the pigments are mixed with fat. 
Besides the drawings of which representations are given, there were found in 
all, or nearly all, of these shelters nundjers of those curious stencil impressions 
of the human hand th.at have been so frequently noted from various parts of 
Australia. They are made, as has often been described, by resting the palm of 
the hand flat against the rock with the fingers somewhat extended, and by 
blowing on them from the mouth finely-powdered ochre or charcoal, so that the 
outline of the hand appears as an uncoloured area on a ground coloured by the 
pigment. 
For the drawings from Ayers Rock I am indebted to Professor Spencer. 
