However, Near Dwarf Well We Found One Of Uncommon Shape; And Until Reading A Book On A Queensland Tribe I Was Unaware Of Its Use, Nor Could I Find Any One Who Had Seen One Of Like Shape.

The weapon in question is the BEAKED or HOOKED boomerang (F).

Mr. W. Roth, in his "Ethnological Studies Among the North-West Central Queensland Aborigines," says: -

"It appears that when warding off a blow from a boomerang of any description the defence consists in holding forwards and vertically any stick or shield that comes to hand, and moving it more or less outwards, right or left as the case may be, thus causing the missile on contact to glance to one or the other side. The hook is intended to counteract the movement of defence by catching on the defending stick around which it swings and, with the increased impetus so produced, making sure of striking the one attacked."

4. CLUBS AND THROWING-STICKS (G).

1. The uses of these are sufficiently obvious to make a description unnecessary.

2. The throwing-sticks are used chiefly in hunting, and for guarding a blow from a boomerang. Most that I have seen were made of mulga (acacia) hardened by fire.

5. SHIELDS. - H. Of hard wood (Mulga); I. Of soft wood (Cork bark).

H. The hard-wood shields are carved from a solid piece of mulga, are grooved to turn spears, and slightly curved for the same purpose. The handles stand out from the back.

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