EDITED BY C. ANDERSON, M.A.. D.Sc.

White Ant Communities - - A. Mus11at1e White Butter8y Migration­ • A. Musgrat~e The Lure of the Big Nusset • The Editor A Crawling jelly Fiah from Port jackaon E. A. Biggs Snakea J. Ra, Kinghom Blackfellowa· Picture• - Charla Hedley

Vol. I. No. 1. APRIL, 1921. PRICE ONE SHILLING.

\ \ ,. i ... ' • j '- . .. ~, .. .F .~ . . .. -... THE .·AUSTRALfAN M .USEUM ~ SYDNEY COLLEGE STREET .. ' :. -~ · .-

Crown Tru3lu.: James McKern. Official Trwteer-His H onour the Chief Justice; The Hon. the President of the Legislative Council; The Hon. the Colonial Secretary ; The Hon. the Attorney-General ; The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer; The Hon. the Secretary for Public W orks and Minister for Railways; The Hon. the Minister fer Public Instruction; The Auditor-Ge neral; The President, Medical Board (Dr. T. S. Dixson, President from December, 1918); The Surveyor-General and Chief Surveyor; The Crown Solicitor.

Electt'le Trwtees-Prof. W. A . Haswell, M.A.• D.Sr., F.R,S.; Prof. Sir T. W. E . David, K.B.E., C.M.G., B.A., F.R.S. ; W . H. Hargraves; E ric Sinclair, M.D. i· Colonel The Hon. Sir James Burns, K.C.M.G., M.L.C. ; J. R. M. Robertson, M.D., C.M.; Ernest Wunderlich; G. H. Ab bott.. B.A., M.B.. Ch.M.; J. VeraoD; The Hon. D. Levy, LL.B., M.L.A.; ]. J. Fletcber, M.A., B.Sc.

Director-Charles Anderson, M.A.• D.Sc. (Mineralogist).

Principal Keeper of Collediom-Charles Hedley (Conchologist).

Scientific Sta.tf-Allan R. McCulloch, Zoolocist, in Charge of Fishes; W m. W. Thorpe, Ethnoloeist; Rex W. Bretnall Zoologist, in Charge of Lower Invertebrates; Anthony' Musgrave, Entomologist; J. Roy Kinihorn, Zoologist, in Charge of Reptiles, Birds and Amphibians; Ell is Le Geyt Trou,hton, Zoologist, in Charge of Mammals and Skeletons ; F. A. McNeill, Zoologist, in Char&e of Cruataceans. Librariarr-W. A. Rainbow. Accountant-]. A. Trimble THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM M !\ Gl\Zl :-.1£.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Frontispiece - The Australian Museum

The Objects of T he Australian Museum Magazine-The Editor - 3

No res 4

T he Scope and Work of The Australian Museum - The Editor 5 The Management of The Australian Museum---¥he Editor 6

Blackfelluws' Pictures-Charles Hedley - 7

Australian Insects; White Ant Communi­ ties ; The White Butterfly Migration- A. Musg rave JI

The Lure of the Big Nugget-The Editor I6

A Crawling Jelly-fish from Port Jack­ son-E. A. Briggs, B Se. 20

S nakes-]. Roy Kinghom - 22 Museum Groups-The Editor 27

: THE AUSTR.\LIA~ MUSEL'M M.\G.\21 :'\E.

THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. Illuminated in honour of the visit to Sydney of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales in 1920. Phoro - Cecil Boswck

THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM From Hyde Park. Photo-Henry King Published by tM Australian Museum College Street, Sydney Editor: C. ANDERSON, M.A. D.Sc. Annual Subscription, Post Free, 4/4

VOL. I. NO. I. APRIL, 1921

THE OBJECTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. By T HE EDITOR. HE publications issued by the Australian Museum in the past have consisted of Reports, Memoirs, Records, and Catalogues, intended T principally for scientific readers and specialists in Yarious branches of natural science. Such publications form valuable contributions <~® ·> to knowledge, and are an essential feature in the life of an institu- tion such as ours, but, since the Museum is supported by pu.blic funds for the instruction and enjoyment of the whole people, the Trustees have decided to make an increased effort to reach a wider public, so that eyery man and woman in the State, and even the children of tender years. may feel that the Museum has a message for them. It is with this object in view that the A~tstralian Muse'um Magazine fias been established. As the NI agazine is intended mainly for those who have no special know­ ledge of the technical details of natural history, the articles contained in it · will be written. so far as possible, in non-technical language, and deal ·with subjects which are likely to be of interest to the average citizen. The haunts. habits and life-histories of the common animals of our bush. ponds, and sea­ shore will be described; nor will the denizens of the ocean depths be forgotten. vV ~ shall endeavour to picture for our readers the everyday life of animals, their inter-relations, their struggles for existence. and their place in the whole scheme of nature. The form and structure of animals is an absorbing study, but animal architecture alone is apt to become dry bones in the figurative. as well as the literal sense, and surely an animal is more interesting when it is presented, not as a mere dead thing, but as a Jiving.. breathing creature. Fossils. too, which are merely animals and plants that have been dead a long time, have a fascinating tale to tell, and even the minerals found in our quarries and mines are more than the raw materials of industry and commerce. Like other primi­ tive races, our aborigines are fast disappearing before the inroads of civiliza­ tion, and we feel sure that every Australian will welcome popular articles on our predecessors in this continent, their quaint customs and ceremonials. T he collections in the Museum consist of animals, fossils. minerals and ethnological objects gathered from all quarte'rs of the glohe. though mainly 4 THE AUSTRALIAN Mt.'SEUM MAGAZINE.

Australian, and one important function of the !VI aga-:: i11 e will be to make these collections better known to their owners, the public, a nd not merely to those who are able to visit the Museum in person. but also to those in distant parts of the State. who have not that privilege. From time to time n ew exhibits of more than usual interest are placed on view in the galleries; these will be described and illustrated in the pages o f the 111 agadne. EYery child, and many grown-ups also. find much pleasure in collecting natural objects, and in future numbers we hope to assist them by a series of articles on the best methods of collecting and preserving animals, and record­ ing obser\'ations on animal life. ::\Iany of our readers may have opportunities of making interesting and valuable obsen·ations on wild life in A ustralia, and we shall willingly find room in our pages for such observations. A lively curiosity is one of the best hand-maiden s to knowledge, and fortunate is he who preserves in his manhood the enquiring mind of the child; we shall be pleased at all times to answer any queries addressed to us. \\"e propose. too, to describe for our readers the collecting trips which members of the ::\Iuseum Staff make to various parts of Australia, and even to distant Pacific isles. If our collectors seldom encounter moving accidents by flood and field. yet their experiences on these expeditions are often interesting and entertaining.

NOTES T he first of the series of popular Messrs. A. R. McCulloch and E. L. lectures arranged for this session will Troug. hton, of the Scientific Staff, be delivered on April I4 by Mr. C. have JUSt returned from a holiday trip Hedley. F.L.S., his subject being "The to Lord Howe Island, and have Depths of the Sea." Succeeding lec­ brought back with them a valuable tures will be as follows :--:\Iay r2, zoological collection and many inter­ ''The Xatural History of the Hawkes­ esting notes on the natural history of bury \ yall ey," by C. T. Musson. this outlying depen dency of New F.L.S.; June 9· "A Seashore Ramble," South Wales. They secured a fine F. L. Grutzmacher, F.C.S., F.L.S. ; series of photographs, some of which July q, a:J1onotremes and Mar­ ~i ll be used to illustrate a future supials," L. H arrison, B.Sc., B.A.; lSSUe. August I I, "Lord Howe Island ; a Two valuable gifts have recently South Sea Tragedy," A. R . McCul­ been made to the :Museum. Mr. G. A. · loch ; September 8, "Snakes and Their Waterh ouse, B.Sc.. well known as a \ · enom, '' J. R. Kinghorn ; October T 3, lepidopterist, has presented his col­ "Ants and Ant Communities,'' A. "f\1us­ lection of A ustralian butterflies which grave; ~ovember IO. "Primitive -:\1an,'' represents the g atherings of ' many L. Harrison, B.Sc., B.A. years and is recognized as the finest in :.rr. E rnest \Vunderlich. a member the Commonwealth. T he standard of the Board of Trustees, announces work, The Butte'J'flies of Australia his intention to supply funds to defray written by :tvfr. Waterhouse, in co l ~ the cost of preparing and installing an laboration with Mr. G. Lyell, was Australian Aboriginal group in the largely based on this collection. Pro­ :.ruseum. The thanks of the com­ fessor A. Liversidge, a former munity are due to M r. \Vunderlich for Trustee, now resident in London, has presented his collection of crystals, ~i s generous and patriotic gift, and it the main part of which formerly be­ 1s to be hoped that this example will longed to General Cathcart. The col­ be followed by other public-spirited lection is specially rich in Indian and citizens. Ceylonese minerals. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZI~E. 5

THE SCOPE AND WORK OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. By THE EDITOR. A museum may be broadly defined as a must be used if they ar<:: not to degenerate repository for objects illustrating the works into useless rubbish. For it m~st be of man, past and present, the natural his­ remembered that these collections are not tory of living things, and the structure and for today only, but for posterity also, and composition of the earth's crust; in short, that the museum holds them in trust for it is a storehouse for the works of art and the whole scientific world. of nature. In practice, however, it is found I would emphasise the importance of convenient to sub-divide this vast field into museums as places for the acquisition and various smaller domains, and, in Sydney, diffusion of knowledge, for, to the casual for example, we find these collections dis­ visitor, the exhibition galleries are the tributed between the Public and Municipal museum, and the uniformed attendants, Libraries, the Art Gallery, and five performing their useful and necessary Museums, each with its appropriate tasks as caretakers and cleaners, are the contents. staff. It may surprise many to learn that Omitting the historical and numismatical the collections stored away are, perhaps, as stctions, which are more limited in extent, extensive as those on exhibition. The the collections stored in the Australian needs of the student are different from Museum fall into four main groups :- those of the ordinary museum visitor, who I. Zoological Exhibits, illustrating the would but be confused and dismayed by animal kingdom as it exists to-day. the display of row after row of specimens 2. Palceontological ; the animals and showing apparently little or no variation. plants of bygone ages (fossils). To the student and the specialist, such J. Ethnological ; the life and works of series are invaluable: without them he prehistoric and primitive races of man. would not be able to unravel the many 4. Mineralogical ; the naturally occur­ intricate problems of evolution and va.ria­ ring inorganic substances. tion, of geographical distribution, seasonal In each of these groups special promin­ changes, and the relationship of species. ence is given to Australian representatives.. When not employed in routine work. the The question may be asked : vVhy should members of our scientific staff are patiently we wish to assemble and preserve these engaged with microscope, dissecting knife, obj~cts? The answer is twofold. In the and •test-tube, endeavouring to elucidate fi rst place, they form the subject matter on the structure, form and composition of the which present knowledge is based, and the objects under their charge, and the results material by use of which future workers of their researches are issued in the may still further extend the bounds of Museum publications, or in the pages of knowledge. Secondly, when properly dis­ scientific periodicals. Then, too, one will played, they contribute to the wonder. plea­ often find in our workrooms some kindred sure, and instruction of the public. These spirit. who is not a member of the staff, two sentences epitomise the whole aim and and may have come from some neighbour­ object of museums and museum work ; it ing State, or from overseas, to consult our now remains to show how our institution in collections and our library, which contains particular tries to fulfil its mission. a fine :assemblage of works and journals If natural history objects are to be of on natural history and ethnology , with any scientific service, they must be correctly special reference to Australia. A for:eign named and classified. For this purpose the savant journeys to our shores, and expects various branches included in the work of to find, and does fi nd, the type specimens the museum are placed in charge of and records which he wishes to examine specialists, most of whom have had many in connection with his special researches. years' training and experience in the The scientific workers in other institutions. museum itself. These experts form the such as the University, gladly avail them­ scientific staff, on whose ability and indus­ selves of the treasures stored in College try the success of the museum as a scien­ Street. and the Museum authorities as tific in stitution largely depends. T hen gladly place these treasures at their comes the work of preserving the speci­ disoosal. mens for future reference, and cataloguing Scarcely a day passes which does not and storing them, so that they m~y be bring several callers, or letters. seeking in­ readily accessible for purppses of study. formation. Answering such enquiries is an Most natural history specimens are perish­ important and essential branch of museum able. and special materials and rnethods work. and. although the museum is. in the . "A. more extended account of museum work first instance, a purely scientific institution . In gen~ral, and of the scope and work of the many of the subjects on which information !-ustrahan Museum in particular, will be found is sought touch on matters of economic m. an address by the President. Dr. T. Storie Dr~t so n, delivered June 10, 1919 (printed by order importance, and may relate to insect pests, of the Trustees, 1919). the habits and specific distinctions of fishes 6 THE \CSTR.\LIA~ MCSEUM MAGAZINE. and other marine animals. bi rds destruc­ so that they may look natural and un­ tive to farm or orchard. or the occurrence obtrusive. which demands a high degr~e of and uses of minerals. ingenuity and tasteful skill. Many antmals are best re1)resented by plaster models, On suitable days, gallery demonstrations t•a refully linished and coloured to resemble are given by members of the staff. who the originals; this, too, is worl~ _requi r in~ n_o conduct small parties round the collec­ small amount of technical ab1llty. If 1t ts tions and explain the exhibits. This is a desired to display a skeleton. the bones new feature. instituted by Mr. C. Hedley, must be thoroughly cleaned. bleached, an_d and is much appreciated by our visitors. then articulated, so as to preserve the1r Everv Year a course of free lecture· is true relations to one another. This is the delivered- in the Lecture Hall. These pro,·ince of the articulator. who must have popular addresses. the initiation of which a knowledge of osteology. ~ext comes the we owe chiefly to the enthusiasm and un­ work of the a rtificer. who. besides perform­ tiring efforts of two Trustees. Dr. T. ing ordinary structural and repair work, Storie Dixson. now President of the has to exercise considerable manual dex­ Board. and Mr. John Vernon. formerly terity in fashioning cases and supports for Auditor-General, are illustrated by museum the exhibits. T he last requisite is the label. specimens and lantern slides. The achie,·ement of a satisfactory label is Much work has to be done behind the one of the most difficult tasks, and often scenes in preparing specimens for display the despair of the museum official, and is in the public rooms. An animal must be attained only after much discussion and carefully skinned, the skin tanned or other­ searching of mind. The labels which wise presen·ed. and then mounted in a accompany the gallery exhibits in the Aus­ natural posture, so that it may be a true tralian Museum are printed on the pre­ representation of th.!! living creature. This mises. and are of two kinds, one, short is the work of the taxidermist. who re­ and pointed. giving merely the name, quires to be just as much an a rti~t as ?oes localitv, and a few essential facts concern­ a painter or a sculptor. Tf the ammal IS to ing tlic specimen: the other. more lengthy be shown with accessories of rock or and descriptive, to call attention to fea­ foliage. these must be faithfully portrayed. tures of special interest and importance.

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM By THE EDITOR.

l;ntil 1853, the affairs of t_he Museu!TI There are three Standing Committees, were adminstered by a comm1ttee, but m namely, the House Committee. consisting that year it was incorporated by Act of fi ,·e members, the Scientific and Pub­ of Parliament under a Board, com­ lication Committee, of fi,•e, and the Finance posed of twelve official Trustees and twel_ve and P ublicity Committee, of four. These elective Trustees. The twelve offictal Committees deal with the matters which Trustees consist of a Crown Trustee, fall within their province, and submit their nominated by the Governor, and the follow­ recommendations to the Board, which alone ing public officers, namely, the Chief Jus­ has executive power. The President is Dr. tice the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney­ T. Storie Dixson, President o f the New Ge~era l , the Colonial Treasurer, the Auditor­ South Wales Medical Board. General. the President of the )!' ew South The Director superintends the staff and Wales Medical Board, and such five other the general working of the institution, and officers as the Governor names for the is responsible to the Trustees. purpose. Vacancies which occur among the The funds necessary for the upkeep and elective Trustees, by death, resignation, or general expenditure of the Museum con­ otherwise. are fi lled up by the appointment sist of a permanent endowment of l.r,ooo per of such other fit and proper persons as the annum, paid out of the general revenues of remaining members of the Board may elect. N~ w . South Wa1es, and an annual appro­ The Board meets for the transaction of pnatton voted by Parliament. The Museum business on the first F riday in each month, has, up to the present, received no private except January, when no meeting is held. monetary endowment. THE AUSTRALIA~ MUSEUM MAGAZI:\E. 7

BLACKFELLOWs· PI CTURES By CHARLES HEDLEY.

The stories that we all want to hear A couple of hundred years ago the are the stories of how things grow ; people who lived where Sydney now no repetition has ever dulled the c;.tands were just 1ike those old cave interest of those wonderful spring­ d\,·ellers of Northern Europe. The time stori<.'s of the seed, the plant and many sheltered inlets of Port Jack son the flower, or, of the nest, the egg and provided a bo11nteous supply of fish, the chick. oysters, whelks and cockles, and so As plants or animals grew from snpport<.'d a numerous native popula­ small beginnings, so did Art. :Master­ tion. In this twentieth century it is pieces of painting and of sculpture are difficnlt to realise how recently and in displayed in the modern Art Galleries, what numbers the blacks once existed but for their beginnings we must look and how completely they have elscwher<>. In Franc-e and England, vanished. manv caves have been found in which Sacred grounds were set apart by the men of the stone age once lived. these blacks, on which ceremonies Buried in rubbish on the floor of such were performed; these might not ever can·rns are bits of horn and bone on be seen by the uninitiated, which, of which those ancient hunters have course, included women and children. scratched, with surpnsmg vigour, Any luckless trespasser on these per­ sketches of the animals. some of them formances would have been speared now extinct, with which they lived. to death at once. So that they could Such primitive folk had the minds of not be overlooked, the blacks chose children in the bodies of grown men the highest hill tops for their Bora al}(t women. Their love for art or grounds, as they called the spots re­ music was no less sincere, because it sen·ed for their secret rites. Round was inarticulate. With hands as sure Sydney on high ground there fre­ and eyes as keen as any, their pic­ quently occur level sheets of bare tun·s are crude, because the artist rock, a fine-grained sandstone. Here lacked perseverance and specialisation. the native artist found scope for his The mind of a savage is simple, pas­ talents by carving pictures on slabs of sionate and changeable, his brain soon rock. Probably the tree trunks round we-aries of continuous effort, and so he about were decorated also~ but, if so, disappeared becanse he was pn~hed out of the world hy others who were the stone tablets have long outlasted more purposeful and more persistent both the timber and the men who in toil. \\Tought upon them.

The Ancient hunte rs of Britain and France observed form with a keen eye: This cast which is from the ~ustra l ian Museum shows that the original piece of bone was deftly carved by a prehistoric French artist who ad developed his draughtsmanship to a much more realistic pitch than the Australian aborigines who Lived even in modem times. 8 THE AUSTR.-\LlAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE.

~IIORIGINAL ROCK CARVINGS

Our~lackfellows I"Jl.!lY have despised realism in art because their efforts to depict a scene serenely ignorfd detatls of. form. What they did naturally, the c ubists, futurists, and dadaists, strove to do unna~ra 1 Y· The abor~ginal makes his picture with a shorthand art of his own and with a quaint humor ..Th•s 0 h{" ltne drawmg was made by Mr. R. H . Mathews from aboriginal rock carvings, and the scale •s roug Y 8 feet to I inch.

These pictures cover a wide range; may mean the tracks of game animals, sometimes an ambitious spirit has naturallv subjects of great importance tried to present a scene, such as a to a hmi'ter. A g reen turtle in anot~er kangaroo hunt. A favourite subject, group stares at an emu standmg and one readily recognised, is a whale. beside a clutch of eggs. The t~rtle Then. as now, a dead whale chanced seems to be wrestling with the nddle at times to drift ashore. When this of the egg. occurred it would have seemed to the Convention absurd to say, had over­ blacks as if some kind providence had taken even the palreolithic artist ~nd opened a butcher's shop gratis on the crushed his initiative with the nght beach for their especial benefit. As a way to do things. For instance, their memento of its size and shape that right and only way to draw a man whale would be drawn on the Bora was to spread his fingers and to extend ground. Such a tale lost nothing in his limbs apart as if crucified. Per­ the telling, and the marvellous meat haps this was a dancing attitude of a was urawn "heroic size." Sixty feet corroboree. in length was the testimony of one It is said that the portrait of a ma.n witness. Another group shows a was sometimes made by outlining hts whale attended by her calf, and along­ shadow in the afternoon sunshine. side is a marine monster which appears Probably the sketch was first drawn to have been a sun fish. The throwing with a burnt stick. A long the line to of a boomerang is an incident in some be engraved, holes were bored in the picture stories. What some of the rock an inch, or half an inch, apart. figures stood for we cannot even Then the spaces between the holes was guess. Some of the unintelligible ones ground away or chipped out with a THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 9

TREE CARVED BY AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINALS, DUBBO. Phoco-Harry Bames. These carvings are generally found near the grave of a dead chie ftain in whose memory the carving was made. IO THE AUSTRALiAN MUSEUM MAGAZlNE.

The outline of a Dolphin carved at Jibbon. Port Hacking by Aboriginals. pick or chisel of hard rock. The older clm·s, and black paint from charcoal figures had broader and deeper fur­ mi~ed with fat. Having mixed his rows than the newer ones, and in some paint, the artist took a mouthful of Yery ancient engraYings the natural it. then he placed his hand on the rock, decay of the surface of the rock has the palm to the wall and the fingers almost obliterated the drawings. ontstrctched. O n this he squirted the Another style of illustration which paint from his mouth, and when his the hlacks practised was to make red hand is removed. the print of it on the h:-1.nds in caves. \Vhite paint was rock is seen blocked out by white. macle from burnt cockle shells mixed Finally its outline may be filled in with with wood ashes from the camp fire, red paint. Sometimes the rock was made more durable by mixing it with first greased to make the paint adhere blood. Red paint was got from iron better.

A rock carving at Curl Curl, Manly abowing an aboriginal Man, and a Strap-tooth Whale. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM M:\GAZlXE. II

AUSTRALIAN INSECTS By A. MUSGRAVE. !.-'"WHITE ANT" COMMUNITIES

The lead was eaten through by "White Ants" so that they c ould attack the wood in the roof of the Museum. The nes t s hown on the left was remove d from a beam in 1896.

Australia is very liberally endowed with representatives of the family Termitidae. which includes the ter­ mites, or as they are more popularly but wrongly named ·'white ants." This family is near the order which in­ cludes such familiar insects as cock­ roaches, grasshoppers. manticls. but apart from a very similar social life it has no affinities with the true ants. '''\Thite ants" are chi efl y found in tropical and sub-tropical countries, but three species are known to occur in Southern Europe and one in America, as far north as ::\lanitoba. Canada. A ustralia is rich in species tlnd their nests are common through­ out the country. T housands of pounds are annually spent in combat­ ing this insect pest, which is perhaps the worst against which we have to contend. T he damage done to the roof of the :Museum on the occasion of a visitation in 1 89<). was so ex­ tensive that the entire roof had to be replaced. A remarkable feature of this invasion was the perforation of Pyramidal Nest of Eutermee pyriformis sheet-lead by the persevering insects at Cape York. in their efforts to reach the wood. Phoco - A. R. McCt

The "\vhite ant'' responsible for the turrets. too1 have g iven place to a ser­ mischief was the Milk \\lhite T ermite rated ridge. Coptotenucs lacteus) as Mr. \\·. \\'. One of the accompanying illustra­ Froggatt, the GoYemment Entomolo­ ti ons shows the Great lV[ou nd Nest gist. calls it. This species is very of E utermes pyriforn·tis, which is com­ plentiful around Sydney, where it mon at Cape York and may be 18 feet constructs its nest in logs and stumps. high. The ''nigger head" nests, so In the outh Coast District and north­ common in gun1 trees in the bush, are \\'ards to Southern Queensland it the work of members of the genus makes a dome-shaped nest. which may Euten11es. They are usually in com­ measure six feet in height. This munication with the ground by means structure is formed of clay on the o E closed-in galleries. Other termites outside. and its base is usually em­ do not appear to make these arboreal bedded about a foot underground. habitations. \\'hen the outer clay covering is re­ moyed. the interior of the nest is seen A ''white ant" community is made to be composed of a clay-like material up of a number of castes, each of which was originally '\YOod, but has which has its special duties to per­ been masticated by the termites and form. The supreme being is the worked into its present form. qtteen, the whole activities of the Through it run the galleries of the colony centering around her, since on colonY. A round mass made of sheets her falls the duty of the reproduction of a ~pecia l material placed one above of its life. She is much larger in size the other, and riddled with galleries, than any of the other termites in the is found in the centre of the nest. nest owing to an enormous develop­ ~Ir. Froggatt has described it as the ment of the egg tubes in the abdomen, "nursery.'' on account of the numbers which becomes distended with eggs. of young larvre found in it. Her great rotundity makes her in­ capable of movement, and she de­ The ~1Ie ri d i onal or Magnetic vVhite pends on the workers for nourish­ Ant, Tennes mer·idionalis, found in ment. Certain specialised pupre, North Queensland and the Northern known as "supplementary queens," Territory, has the most interesting take the place of the queen in the nest of all our Australian species. event of her dying or any other such The termitarium resembles a wall in misfortune. The queen, as a rule, be­ appearance. usually about 8 feet in longs to the caste which includes the height, and is so constructed that the winged males and females, but after ends of the wall point directly north pairing she settles down to a life of and south, with the broad sides east egg laying. The king is sometimes and west. seen in the royal cell, but little seems The reason for so constructing the to be known about him. The winged termitarium is that it may dry most males and females are the only mem­ rapidly. The sun shines on both bers of the termitarium which are sides, and each receives an equal usually seen outside the nest. The amount of heat. T his is necessary, as "white ant" swarms, which are such a repairs and additions to the nest are nuisance in the summer months, are made only during the wet season, composed of myriads of these insects, when the building material is soft. which are forsaking the nest in order The nests found around Cook­ to set up house for themselves. A town are often surmounted by turret swarm usually makes its~ appearance and spire-like projections, wh ich re­ about a quarter of an hour before sun­ mind one of some European cathe­ set, after a hot, sultry day. The dral. A variation £rom the Cooktown workers on such an occasion make a form occurs near Port Darwin. In breach in the wall of the termitarium this case the nest has the eastern side and the soldiers allow the winged

convex and the western concave·I the forms to swarm out. These speedily THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. l3

take flight and unless they are unfor­ on the bodies of their companions tunate enough to fall foul of some which have died from its effects, the hungry bird, soon come to earth. Like poison is thus passed on. If the moths, they are very commonly at­ arsenic be mixed with treacle or sugar tracted by the glare of a light in an and placed in the wood where they are open window, and if one watches working, they will soon fall victims them as they settle around a lamp, to it. it will be noticed that they readily A method suggested by ::.\Ir. Frog­ cast off tht::ir wings without the gatt for preventin g their ingress into slightest inconvenience, and crawl buildings is to paint the floor joists. rapidly away to some dark corner. At with arsenic mixed with wood pre­ the bases of the wings there is a defi­ serving oi l. A pound of arsenic should nite cross line of weakness, and when be boiled with a pound of washing soda the insect feels these members to be and then mixed with four gallons of of no further service, it wriggles and the oil. twists its body with no uncertain ef­ In North Queensland and Papua fort, until a fracture occurs, and the many of the houses are built on piles, whole four \'lrings are left behind. the tops of which are covered with tin Late on a hot evening, when we turn caps to prevent the ants entering the down the lamp, a cluster of gauzy house. T he piles are also well coated iridescent wings on the table around with tar. A ll termites' nests in the it is often all that remains to remind vicinity of a building must be de­ one of the irritating attention of their stroyed, as the insects often tunnel owners during the few preceding for long distances underground in hours. search of the timber they desire. An To the second caste belong the established nest may be effectively workers, which are more numerous disposed of by fire, since the internal in individuals than any other. To woody pulp burns readily. A hole them is entrusted all the work of the should be made on each side of the community; building and repairing nest, and a fire lighted in one of them. the nest, feeding the young, and look­ The air passes freely through the gal­ ing after the eggs and the queen. They lerjes in the structure and so forms a are literally the ''hewers of wood and draught, which soon carries the smoke drawers of water" of this termite into the innermost recesses and drives kingdom. Like the next caste, the the flurried insects before it. A nest soldier, they are aborted males and several feet in diameter will take females. several days to burn out, and the The soldier caste is generally easily smoke from it gives off a peculiar distinguished by the large sickle­ pungent odour, which drives away all shaped jaws, which are used as the mosquitoes in the vicinity-an \veapons against invaders. They stand item of no inconsiderable value in guard over the tunnels should any tropical regions. \\"hen the woody holes be made in them. and de­ material of the nest is completely fend the workers, who quickly repair destroyed, together with the insects the damage. inhabiting it, the outer mound ma}· The soldiers of the genus Eutermes remain int~ct for some considerable are ~ema rkable for having a sharp time. T he cavity within forms an awl-like snout, in which fluid is excellent oven in which bread can stored as a means of defence against be baked, and they are not in­ enemies. frequently used for this purpose by As termites are such a general pest the bushmen of Australia. in Australia, a few notes on the The methods for dealing with these methods adopted for their eradication noxious insects have been thoroughly may prove of use. treated by Mr. Froggatt in Fartne,_,s A rsenic is the poison generally used Bulletin, No. 6o, issued gratis by the for their destruction, and as they feed Department of Agriculture. THE AUSTR.\LL\::\ ML'SEl1M M r\ GAZlNE.

11 -THE WHITE BUTTERFLY MIGRATION

The \Vhite Caper Butterfly, lo·wed perhaps in a day or so by Anaphaeis jm.oa var. tcutonia, which, another body, which may linger a during November, 1920. passed over little longer be fore passing away on Sydney in swarms, has given rise to its unknown quest. \ \' eak fliers, they mud~ speculation as to its ultimate make little headway against the buffet­ goal and the reason for its migration. ings of adverse winds, and a white This butterfly is a member of the flake on the green waters of the har­ family Pieridre. a group which in­ bOt!r too often bears testimony to an cludes those species popularly known untimely end from the forces of as ''The \\'bites." ::\Iany species of nature. Pieridre are noted for their migratory The "Caper \Vhite'' has for many habits. and the great naturalist. Charles years been known to frequent the DanYin. in his "Naturalist's \ 'oyage Nath·e Caper plant, Capparis nobilis, Rmmd the \\'orld.'' records a flight of growing near the I I er barium in the "·hite butterflies which was seen from Botanic Gardens, and the butterfly the deck of the ''Beagle'' when ten may be obsen ·ed there in all stages miles out at sea off the South Ameri­ of its development. During the can coast. In Yiew of a theory put recent migration, the butterflies forward at a recent meeting of the descended in hundreds on this plant Linnean Society of New South \\'ales, and ·were rliscovered laying their eggs that the migration of the ·'Caper on the leaves to snch an alarm1ng \Yhite'' was probably due to the extent. that the tree had to be sprayed wester!,· winos carrying them from se,·eral times with arsenate of lead in the \\'est, it is of interest to read the order to destroy them. conclusion arriYed at by Dan,·in when he encountered the swarm of butter­ fli es so far out at <:ea. '·The day." he says. "hacl been fine and calm, and the one previous to it equally so with liaht and variable airs. Hence we c:nnot suppose that the insects were blown oft the land, but we must con­ d,lde they yoluntarily took fligl1t." Another theorv as to the cause of the miar0 ation was that the food plant of the butterflies. the Australian Caper Plant, had probably fai led through rlrought conrlitions and the insects were forced to go further afield )Jo satisfactory ~onclusi on has yet been arrin:>d at· as to the motive for I he butterflies always travelling in a cer­ tain clirection. The 1920 swarm is not '.tn!qne so f;t_r as X ew South \Vales is concerned; we have records of swarms in 1894, 1903, 1906 and 1909. During a migration, the insects often appear at irregular intervals. Two White Caper ButterRies. They may be conspicuous every­ (Male above and Female below). where on certain days, hovering round The spindle-shaped eggs of the th <> Aowers of the garden or fl oating butterfly are laid on the upper side of airily OYer the lantana blossoms, but a leaf, sometimes as many as fifty suddenly they disappear, to be fol - being deposited on a single leaf. T he THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZl:\E. IS young caterpillar, when it emerges rsl ands, Solomon Islands, ~ew from the egg, is yellow in colour. and I Iebrides, and X ew Caledonia. So cuvert'd with long hairs. It is exceed­ far, it has not extended its range into ingly voracious, and at once com­ X cw Zealand. mences to eat the young shoots and leaves of the food-plant. Increasing rapidly in size, it changes its skin several times, until it attains a length of one and a quarter inches, which is its maximum size. At this stage the hody is greenish in appearance with yellow tubercles on each segment forming transverse rows. The long hairs which were so conspicuous in the young larva have given place to very fi ne ones. the long ones having disappeared during a moult. The caterpillar now develops into the pupa or chrysalis stage, which is attached to a leaf of the Capparis. The chrysalis is about an inch in length, and is greyish-white with yellow and black markings. T he head bears a pointed process, and the second ab­ The White Caper resting on Flowers. dominal segment has two black spine­ Phoco-A. MusgTave like structures. The poC't Swinhurne has immortal­ The butterfly, on emerging from its ised white butterflies in the following chrysalis, has to wait some time until lines:- its wings are dried before it can join "Fiy, white butterflies. out to sea, itc; companions in their migrations, or Frail, pale wings for the winds to try; sport around the green leaves of the Small white wings that we scarce can see. Here and there may a chance-caught eye Ca.pparis. Note, in a score of you, twain or three, The ''Caper V..Thite" has a very wide Brighter or darker of tinge or dye; clistribution. In addition to being found Some Ay light as a laugh of glee, Some fly soft as a long, low sigh : throughout Australia, it occurs in All to the haven where each would be­ :\falaysia. X ew Guinea. Friendly F ly."

HOUSEHOLD PESTS.-From time to the cracks and creYices of the floor. To time the Museum is asked to supply in ­ dispose of fleas we must therefore get rid formation as to the most effective methods of all dust by thoroughly scrubbing out the of ridding a house of such common insect room with bot water in which a small pests as the house tly, the bed bug, fleas, quantity of carbolic has been poured. and and cockroaches. by beating all carpets. Of these we shall deal first with the house Ay, N1tsca domestica, also known as the The only effective method for getting rid typhoid fly on account of its being a carrier o f bugs is thorough fumigation by a com­ of the germs of this disease. Formalin has petent person employing such means as proved to be the best poison. and a few hydrocyanic acid gas. This gas is ,·ery drops of fi,•e per cent. formalin placed in a poisonous and fumigation should not be saucer of sweetened milk will cause the attempted by a novice. death of all flies who partake of it. If Cockroaches are best destroyed by placing proper care were taken in the first place to baits of borax and breadcrumbs. or equal prevent flies breeding, by covering up re­ parts of ground-up chocolate and borax, in ceptacles for garbage and such places as the places where they lurk. Plaster of Paris manure heaps in stables, they would eventu­ sprinkled about will also be greedily con­ ally disappear. sumed by the insects, and on being taken Fleas are encouraged through cats and into their digestiYe system it hardens, and dogs being kept on the premises or else so causes death. Paris green blown into through lack of proper cleanliness. F lea their hiding places has the effect of driYing larvae feed upon dust in carpets and in them out.-A. Musgrave. 16 THE A USTRALlr\ X MUSEUM MAGAZl NE.

TH E LURE OF TH E BIG NUGGET By THE EDITOR. Gold occu rs in nature chiefly as specks, into coin of the realm or, mayhap, to aJorn veins and masses in quartz, when it is some fair lady's finger or stop a hollow called reef gold, or as grains, flakes and tooth to keep the ache away. But, fortu­ irregular lumps in the gravels, sand and nately. we ha,·e models of some of the debris of stream channels and flood plains, most famous nuggets, which, when skil­ when it gets the name allu\'ial or detrital fully gilded, are to outward appearance gold. Detrital or drift gold deposits re­ almost as good as the o riginals and not so sult from the denudation of the surface likely to be a temptation to some poor layers of the earth. which were perhaps b~tt dishonest ~an. J n the mineral gallery se' era! thousand feet in thickness, and ot the Austra!Jan Museum a fine collection were tra,·ersed by auriferous quartz lodes, of nugget models will be found in a wall the gold, because of its relati,·e insolubility case near the entrance, and the stories of and high specific gravity, becoming natu­ the disco,·eries of the originals are full rally concentrated by the action of running of interest. water. The visitor to the museum will be at :\lluYial gold, especially when near tho once attracted by the huge "Welcome surface. is much more readily and more Stranger" and "\Velcome'' nuggets· the cheaply won than the gold which is locked former weighed 2,520 ozs.. and the 'tatter up in the hard quartz of reefs: therefore 2,2L7 ozs., the respective \'a lues being about it will be readih· understood that in the £9.534 and %9,323. The "\Velcome Stran­ early days of Australian gold mining. when ger" was the largest nugget ever discovered small parties of diggers, or eYen solitary and the circumst.ances of its finding are prospectors. were delving for the newly­ some\\·hat romanttc. lt was found on Fri­ disco,·ered wealth. it was the drift deposits day, February ~· I~, i!l Bul!dog Gully, that recei\'ed most attention. These were near Dunolly, Vtctona. 1 wo mmers, Rich­ the palmy and adventurous days of mining, ard Oates and John Deason, had been sur­ so well described in Charles Reade's fine facing in the gully for about two years no,·el. It is .\'e;,•cr Too Late to -Ll1end. The They were •Cornishmen and had come out alluvial gold miner was a gambler, for the to . :~ustralia in 185~ in the same ship, precious metal is erratic in its occurrence, arnnng at Dunolly m 1862. They were and weeks or months of hard work would fairly lucky during their first two or three sometimes be spent in an una\'ailing search years there, but four very lean years fol­ for "pay-dirt," while a more fortunate dig­ lowed, during which they scarcely made a ger might "strike it rich" in a few days. living. At the beginning of 1869 their Any Jump of gold found in the allu­ capital was completely exhausted and on vium is called a nugget, whether its weight the ,·ery morning of their great find, Dea­ be a few pennyweights or a hundredweight ~on was unable to get a bag of flour on or so. The word nugget. used in this credit at the nearest store. But the two sense. seems to be of Australian origin, men must have been made of good stuff for in the early convict days a lump of for they tightened their belts and worked tobacco was called a nugget. and amongst on. Deason was fossicking round the farmers the same name was applied to "a r()ots of an old tree, where an obelisk small. compact beast or runt." Rol£ now stands to commemorate the event Boldrewood, in Robbery Under Arms, when his pick struck something hard. H~ writes: ''\Ve branded the little red heifer was a profane man-many miners are-and calf first-a fine fat six-months-old "Damn it all," he said, ''J wish it was a nugget." nugget, and had broken the pick." You The finding of a large nugget of gold can imagine the eager delight of the two was the occasion for great rejoicing on the when they realised that here in very truth part of the successful digger, and much wa~ the very g rat;dfather .of nuggets, excitement among the community. Valu­ whtch, as they fevenshly applted pick and able nuggets are occa ionally turned up shovel, r~Yea led itself as being even larger e\'en now, but in the early days of our his­ lhan thetr fondest hopes had pictured it. tory as a gold-producing country, such an Their sensations were much the same no e,·ent was much commoner. Australia has doubt, as those which thrill the treas'ure­ produced more large masses of gold than seeker of romance, when at last he has any other continent, and this is re­ traced to its hiding place, on some haunted sponsible for the fact that many a "new isle of the Spanish main, the long-lost chum'' lands in Australia expecting to find hoard of the old-time buccaneer. So the nuggets o f gold scattered in his path like very welcome stranger was joyfully levered pebbles. from its long resting place and, with great The original nuggets have, practically labour and much helpful language, trundled without exception, long since found their to the miners' tent. All through that Fri­ way to the melting pot, to be converted day night Deason sat before the fire cle:tn- THE AUSTRALIA?\ MUSEUM MAGAZH\E. IJ

THE "WELCOME STRANGER"" NUGGET. From the Mode l in the Museum. Photo C Clutton

~ng the nugget, and on Saturday morni:1g These are the two most celebrated gold Jt was loaded on a drav and taken into !luggets, but many others of considerable Dunolly. The fi nders had intended to cart \'alue ha,·e been found in Victoria, ::--Jew the nugget to Melbourne and exhibit it South \\'ales and. more recently, in West­ there, but Deason did not like the look of ern Australia. In the early days of shal­ the crowd that gathered round the dray in low si nking, both in Victoria and ::\ ew Dunolly. He decided to turn it into cash South \\"ales, the digger was ever cheered at once, so it was sold to the bank and and spurred on by the hope that to-morrow melted after it had been solemnh· christ­ his pick might encounter a lump of gold ened in the presence of a large gathering which would make him rich for life ; to of people, some of ""hom had tra,·elled the anguine every new rush was the miles to assist at the ceremony. A few promised land. Some mi!lers had extraor­ days later the two men were back at their dinarily good fortune. ~\ party of new­ claim, but no more nuggets rewarded them. comers, just out from England, started to They soon ga,·e it up, and separated. Some work an abandoned shaft 6o feet deep at years later the two mates again met at Canadian Gully, Ballarat. and had deepened Dunolly. Meanwhile. Oates had made it only about four feet, when the man be­ some fortunate inve tments and was low d roYe his pick into a lump, too soft richer than ever. but Deason ·s luck had for stone. too hard for clay. \\forking forsaken him again and he was once more round the ob5tacle. he prised it up and, poor. examining it by the light of his candle, he The "'vV elcome" nugget. but little smaller was amazed and delighted to find that he than its fellow. was found on June 15, had unearthed a nugget, which was found r8s_8, in the Redhill :Mining Company's to weigh r,II/ ozs. Two days later the clatm, Bakery Hill. Balla rat, at a depth of same party found another nugget of 1.01 I t8o feet. The claim was being worked by ozs.. ilnd two of them, after but a few a party of twenty-t\\"O Cornish miners, weeks 111 Australia, returned to England, who, it is interesting to know, were the rich men. \\'hat fine immigration agents first to introduce steam-dri\"en machinery they would ha,·e made! at the Ballarat diggings. The nugget was But the finding of nuggets was not all fi~s.t sold at Ballarat for £10,500, was ex­ romance: it had its tragic side. Sometimes • htbtted at M elbourne for some weeks, and the finder's mind became unhinged by the was sold there on March 18. 1859, for sudden accession of wealth, and he lived £9,325. It was melted in London, Novem­ out his life babbling witlessly of gold. ber, r8sg. Then again the \VOrk was hard and often 18 T HE AU S T R . \Ll!\~ MUSEUM MAGAZJ ~ E.

~ t eep without the fea r that he ·n i%hl be assa il ~d by some a\'age : ol>ber be f.o re morning . M en went armed 111 t~ c dayt1me and fortified themse!Yes a t n1 g ht. O ne partin:larly b rutal affair m ay be m en ­ tioned. T wo miner s wer e a ttack ed and robbed. one being sho t in the leg. As th e marauders were tying the wounded man to a tree. one o f them felt the bu llc: t, w l~i ch was embedded in the muscles of h ts thtg h, and callouslv cut it out w ith his knife, saying he rl11 igh t wa nt to use it again. S aYing men. these bushra ng ers ! ~ ew S outh \Vales h as no t pro duced so many large nuggets as V icto ria , th e largest being that found a t Burrandong, near O range, )J o '·em her r, 1 8s8. It weig h ed 1.286 o zs .. \'alued at Lt.389- It w a s m e l te~ at the Sydney mint, but n o model of 1t seems to h a,·e been made. The " Maitland Bar," a nugget weig h ing 345 ozs., wo t th ab•)ut £1. 2;~ 6 . was found a t Maitland Bar, in the Mudg ee D istrict. in 1887 ; it is one of the few la rg e nuggets still extant. and THE. ''MAITLAND BAR" NUCCE.T is the pro perty of the ~ew S o uth Wale :> which is still in existence. Go\'ern men t. ~1nch d iscu ssion has taken p lace con ­ cer ning th<' o r ig in o f gold nuggets. Mr. disagreeable. especially to men who had E,·an H opkins, in a pamph let publish ed in r8:;3. no pre,·ious experience of mining or any ad,·anced the curious hypothesis that other kind of manual work. The surface the roots of trees h a \'e the po wer of at­ deposits. particularly in V ictoria, were ex ­ tracting gold fro m the earth a nd storing ceedingly rich and in the early 'fif ties of it in masses nea r the surface. A nother last century. a stream of goldseekers Yiew. which has been suppo rted by such poured like a tide towa rds this El Dorado. well-kno wn A ustra lian g eologists a s Sel­ T he Argus of October 3, r8sr. makes in­ wy n, Daintre e. Wilkinson, and N ewbery, is teresting reading:- that nuggets have been fo rmed in the d rifts by successive depositio n s of m etallic gold "T he police force are handing in resig­ f rom circula ting waters car ryin g gold in nations daily: eYen the sergeants are de solutio n. X o d ou bt under fa vourable cir­ serting. The custom house hands a re off cumstances gold may h ave been deposited to the diggings; seamen are deserting fro m solution by org anic matter o r metallic their Yessels: tradesmen and apprentices sul phides, and some nuggets may h a ve been are gone ; the masters a re following them ; enla rged in this w ay. but the theory now contractors' men ha Ye bolted and left la rge generally accepted is that they com e from expensi,·e jobs on their hands unfi nished. gold-bearing q uar tz r eefs which have been What are the contractors to do? \Vhy, destroyed by d enudatio n. a nd the gold follow their men, and off they go. Pa­ masses thus set free have been carried tients, on becoming com·alescent, forget the perhaps man y m iles fr om the pa r ent reef attention of their doctor. and his kindness by the agency of running water. I n the in bringing them round. and depart without course o f ages the a dhering, brittle quartz even wishing him good-bye; th e doctor would be larg ely rem oved, and th e base must, of course, follow; and the lawyer. meta ls orig inally alloyed w ith th e gold en the same principle, follows his cl ients." would be lea ch ed out, wh ich would ac­ cou nt for the obser ved fact that n uggety The diggers suffered se,·erely for want and allu vial gold gen era lly is purer than of provisions, which were both scarce and r et> f gold . dear (a ba~r of flour cost £5), and an e'·en more terrible menace haunted them. ~ as­ It has been argued by the upholder s of terless men and adventu rers from all the the g rowth hypothesis that, if nuggets are colonies and from abroad hastened to V ic­ c:!c rived fro m lod es, we should find large toria in search of easy money. T icket-of­ masses o f go ld in quartz reefs much mor e leave men from T asmania, then a penal frequently than is the case; bu t it must be colony, crossed the strait, determined to r emembered th at th e r eefs exploited by ~e t their share o f plunder, and many de~d s man are probably much sm aller in extent, of violence stain the annals of gold-muung and per haps poo rer in gold conten t, than in Australia. T he digger who had accu­ the lon g-vanished reefs from which came mulated a store o f gold never went to our a lluvial gold d eposits. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 19

was soon lodged in a Bathurst bank. The grateful doctor presented the blackfellow <• nSydney Grammar School. mass of gold. H e hastened home and Both Holtermann and Beyers lost the communicated the glad tidings to his mas­ money that they made from the nugget. ter, to whom he presented whatever gold H olterma:m fi nanced a number o f unsuc­ might he contained in the block. Dr .. Kerr cessful schemes, and Beyers put his money lost no time in reaching the spot (ts not into t:1e Golden Grove Estate. Darlington. Kerr a Scotch name?) and the gold. which but lost most of it, his solicitor absconding was in three pieces and weighed 1,272 ozs .. with f.oo.ooo.

T he usefulness of the :\Iuseum as modern museums. As the P restdent a State institution for recreatiYe in­ has said in his address of ] une 10. struction and research is g reatly re­ 1919, ''the whole area of ground still stricted by the lack of space for exhi­ available should be coYered with suit­ bition, for storage of specimens, and able buildings"; in fact, the time is for extension of the library; more not fa r distant when more land should workrooms, too. are needed if the be acquired to provide for future Museum is to pursue a forward policy needs. such as will bring it into line with 20 THE .\l'STR.\Ll.\X Ml'SEUM MAGAZJNE.

A CRAWLING JELLY-FISH FROM PORT JACKSON

By E. A. BRlGGS, B.Sc., Lecturer in Zoology, University of Sydney.

THE NEWLY DISCOVERED JELLY-FISH IS ONE-EIGHT OF AN INCH IN DI AMETER.

To the rich and ,·aried fauna of Port which might ha ,.e been set free during the Ja ckson there has recently been added a scraping of the wall. new and interesting form belonging to the t;nfortunately. the animal is rather rare, curious little group of animals known as but subsequent ,·isits to the same locality crawling jelly-fishes. vielded a number of specimens, thus afford- The creeping or era wling jelly-fish from 1ng an opportunity of obsen•ing its habits, Port Jackson was fi rst obtained in )larch. which are little known. I9Ii. from a collection of sea-weeds. which Pre,·ious to the disco,·ery of a crawling had been sc raped from the sides of a rock­ jelly-fish in Sydney Harbour, these animals hewn bathing pool at Point Piper. a sand­ were known only from the Falkland stone headland on the southern shore of Islands. the Cape of Good Hope, Kerguelen Port Jackson, about two and three-quarter Island and Antarctica, while two species miles from the entrance to the harbour. had also been recorded f rom the Northern Some two years later a further search Hemisphere. for the crawling jelly-fish was conducted The crawling jelly-fish f rom Port Jack­ at Point Piper, from low water mark down son is exceedingly small; its body is o~ly to three to five feet below it. The material the size of a pin's head, and is shaped hke was obtained by scraping down the face of a miniature umbrella. with a short, thick a weed-covered wall and collecting the dis­ handle, and a fringe of tentades arou~d lodged masses of sea-weed and other the edge. Each tentacle consists of a mam marine growths in a small hand dredge. stem, which is divided at its extremity into At the same time a net of fine silk attached an upper and a lower branch. On the to a wire ring on the end of a light pole upper branch arc borne the batteries of was swept ~ackwards and forwards through stinging -capsules, by meatls o f which the the water. 111 order to catch any specimens jelly-fish is able to ward off the attacks o f THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 2[ enemies or exert a numbing effect on the at the same time loosening its hold on the animals upon which it preys. The lower substratum and sharing in the upward branch of the tentacle, which is used for mO\·ement. Jt has been suggested that this crawling, ends in a sucker-like extremity. action may ha,·e some protecti\·e function, By means of these suckers and their since by it the clusters of stinging-capsules secretion the animal is able to adhere so are thrown 0\"er the upper surface of the firmly to the smoothest surface that it is body. This movement is maintained al­ yery difficult to detach it. most constantly when the animal is The most striking feature of the animal stationary, and differs entirely from the is its mode of progression. Ordinarily a slow and deliberate movement o f crawling. jelly-fish floats in the sea with the tentacles Crawling jelly-fishes are not known to hanging downwards, or it swims by con­ swim, except the Falkland Island species, tractions of the powerful muscles on its which is apparently able to do so. The nnder surface, which dri,·e out the water species from Port Jackson was never ob­ of the umbrella and send the animal for­ served to swim; neither could any swim­ ward in the opposite direction. In the case ming motion be induced by dropping the of the creeping or crawling jelly-fishes, the specimens into sea-water. They would fall tentacles are modified into ambulatory straight to the bottom of the vessel and organs, by means of which the animal then move along the surface of the glass moves actively over the surface of a sea­ by slow crawling movements. weed or other marine growth. When the jelly-fish is lightly touched on one side, The small jelly-fishes or medusre are the crawling movement can be readily really special bodies carrying the generative observed; the tentacles on the side opposite organs. They originate as members of a the source of irritation are released and fixed. usually branched, plant-like animal applied at a point further from the body, or "Zoophyte," from which they are set which is then moved in this direction. Pro­ free by breaking away as little umbrella­ gression is also assisted by a re,·erse moYe­ shaped bodies. These individuals differ ment of the tentacles on the other side. widely from the fixed form, being, indeed, Another characteristic and almost con­ so tmlike it that their origin would ne,·er stant movement is exhibited by the ten­ ha ,.e been guessed if the separation had tacles. This movement consists of a sud­ not been seen to take place. den jerking upwards, so that the upper The disco\·ery of a crawling jelly-fish in branch of the tentacle. with its batteries Port J ackson is, therefore, extremely in­ of stinging-capsules, is thrown over the teresting, but up to the present this one body. the lower or sucker-bearing branch has not been traced to its fixed form.

DYING SLOWLY-A Sea-egg or Heart at least half an hour afterwards, the move­ Urchin, Brey11ia, which buries itself in the ment becoming quite frantic when they were sand of the lagoon at Lord Howe Island, finally immersed in fresh water. One wan­ can withstand an amazing amount of injury dered around a flat board upon the tips of and still live. Tf its shell or test be broken its spines. apparently searching for its well open, it is seen to be filled with little more beloYed sand beneath the lagoon waters. than a membranous gut distended with Heart Urchins. so lowly in organisation. murl, and a few reproducti,·e organs. The are evidently but little affected by what we removal of these inner works, howeYer more sensith·e beings recognise as pain. and rcu.ghly. seems to cause the animal but ljttle consequently die very slowly from injuries pain, since it merely waves its many spines which would instantly destroy more highly around in feeble protest, and if given the organised animals simply through the shock opportunity, will dig itself into the sand to their nervous systems. But though so again as effectively as though its vital lowly, they nevertheless construct amazingly organs were all in their proper places. intricate shells for the protection of their Several specimens which were being pre­ soft parts, their apparently simple mem­ pared for museum purposes had all of their branes secreting wonderfully complex and soft part' removed except the extremely ornate plates which interlock so accurateh­ thin membrane which lines the test, yef that an examination of them leaves us lost they waggled their spines around freely for in admiration.-:\. R. McCulloch. 22 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEuM MAGAZlNE.

SNAKES

THEIR FANGS AND VENOM APPARATUS. THE ACTION OF VENOM AND THE TREATMENT OF SNAKE-BITE

By j . ROY KINGHORN.

\-enomous snakes are diYided into the venom apparatus as soon as the two large groups: those having fangs old ones are lost. ituated in the front of the jaw, :md Th~ venom of snakes, and the ap­ others that carry them towards the paratus by which it is injected, are rear 0f the jaw. T he second group subjects \i\·hich have been extensively need not concern us very much. bnt I inYestigated by scientists. The might say before passing that their ,·enom glands of snakes are situated fangs are never hollow, but are al­ tmder the eyes, and each gland is en­ ways grooved. A typical representa­ dosed in a dense fibrous sheath which tive in Australia is the Brown Tree is surrotmded by the main muscles of Snake, '.Yhich is absolutely harmless to the jaw. From each gland there is a man or any of the larger animals. duct, or tube, which extends forward, The first group concerns us most as terminating over the entrance to the the majoritv of our Australian Yeno­ canal or groove in the fang. The tn0us snakes belong to it. as do the h2nlcr a snake bites the harder the Cobras and Krait of India, and the Rattle Snakes and Vipers. The poison fang is a pointed. very sharp, re­ curved tooth. bearing along its length either a groove or a canal, ending a short distance from the point. Australian venomous snakes have either grooved or hollow fangs which are permanently erect. The Vipers and Rattle Snakes have enormously deYeloped fangs attached to movable bones so that they may be automatic­ ally erected and depressed as the jaws open and shut ; these fangs are almost perfect in structure, and may be li kt!ned to a hypodermic needle, as the edges of the groove are so flattened aga.inst each other that there is no trace of the join on the surface. As venomous snakes depend entirely npon their fangs in killing their prey, they wonld naturally suffer consider­ able inc-onvenience if they were with­ ont them for any length of time through loss, so Nature has made ample provision in the great majority of cases by arranging reinforcements in the f0rm of series of successivelv paired fangs which grow in the g ums, SKULLS OF SNAKES SH OWINC•BITE MARKS and are in various stages of develop­ At the top is a Python skull (such as Carpet or D iamond snake which are non-venomous. all the teeth ment, the most advanced pair being being solid). Next is a Tiger or Black snake. and at in a socket beside those in use and be­ the bottom a Viper, a ll of which are venomous. The Brown Tree Snake with fa ngs at the rear o£ the jaw r.oming solidly fixed and attached to is only s lightly venomous. THE AUSTRALJAN MUSEUM M AGAZlt'\E. 23

cessfully against the venoms of Aus­ tralian snakes. I le was of the opinion that this same antidote would secure immunity from the poisons of the Indian species. fT e was bitten by a Krait, however, the venom of which acted upon his blood and nervous sys­ tems in a manner so different to what he had been uc;t?cl to in Australia. that the antidote failed to take effect. and he died. Another man, who had be­ come immune to the poison of the Venomous s nake above and Python (non-venomous ) Tiger Snake. was bitten by a Copper­ below. hC'ad or Superb Snake, and the hite proved fatal. O thers. who have be­ tube is pressed against the canal in the come immune to the venom of Vipers fang, thus preventing any escape of have died when bitten hv Cobras. venom other than through the canal T he immunity of the Jlndian snake­ or groove. charmer is brought about by his ha\·­ \'enom can be ejected by some of ing submitted hi mself to a graduated the Cobras in another manner than series of injections of the \'enom of that of biting, the process being the species of snake with which he in­ known as spitting. Observation has tends to play ; this process of innocu­ shown that venom is evidently forced lation takes a considerable time to into the mouth anrl mixed with the mature before the man becomes quite sali va. then it is ejected through the immvne. and it is not without its risks. lips to a distance of six or eig ht feet. Recent investigation has shown that Several people have been temporarily the venom of the Cobras. Sea Snakes, blinded through it entering their eyes a nd our Australian species acts mainly and causing severe inflammation. upon the nerve centres which con­ Study and inYestigation have shown trol the heart and respiration. eventu­ that most snakes possess certain a lly hringing about respiratory paraly­ glands vvhich supply their blood with sis. At the same time. however, there substances antagonistic to venom to may a lso be a clotting of the blood, render them immune to their own hut in the Vipers and Rattlesnakes poison and often to that of other this effect seems to be reversed. the snakes. se,·eral animals and birds main action being the clotting of the which arc:- snake killers also have these blood. Doctors Feyrer and Brunton, glands developed. and a re therefore t\\·o famous ,.,·orkers on snake venoms. inuntme to the effects of the poison . hold the opinion that no special law , \I thoug-h the actions and symptoms can he laid do\\·n rebting to the effect which follow the bites of different of ,·enom. as it is dependent upon the snakes appear to he id e ntical ~ it ha~ species. s tate. and size of the snake, been fo11 nd th at a serum which brings the quality and quantity of its poison. about immunity against one species and the ci rcumstances under which it has proved a failure in cases o f bites inflicts the bite; secondly. the species, caused hy other species. Serum pre­ size and vigour of the victim. and the pared for use against the Cobra poison circumstances under which it is bitten. has prnved futile against that of other In Tnrlia in 191 r there were over species. and the same is perhaps the 2-f.OOO li ves lost through snake bite. case between any two species of but when the size of the population is snakes throughout the world . Many taken into account. together with the instances. of which the following are fact that the majority of the people go several, might be g iven to prove this. about in the bush and jungle bare­ A man who was well known aro und footed. it is a wonder that there are Sydney went to fndia. taking w ith him not i11anv more deaths from bites than an antidote w hich he had used sue- the nuniber stated. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE.

• POISON APPARATUS C!)F RATTLE SNAKE. '!

c

The Yenom apparatus of a snake consists squeeze out the venom. (2) Venom gland. of a pair of hollow or grooved fangs, situated in a dense sheath of fibrous muscle. situated one each side of the upper jaw, (3) Duct or tube, along which the venom generally at the front of the maxil!ary is forced to the entrance of the canal in bone. To each of the fangs is attacherl a the fang. (4) Entrance to the canal in the tube and a venom gland, the latter lying fang. (5) Hollow fang. (6) Opening along the upper jaw, just under or behind through which the venom leaves the fang. the eye. When a snake bites, the muscles B Brunton's first-aid instrument for which surround the gland squeeze out the snake bite. consisting of a lance, a screw venom, force it along the tube and into cap cover, and a hollow handle which con­ the hollow fang, through which it passes, 'tains cry~tals of permanganate of potash. eventually finding its way out through an C: ( T) Ordinary grooved tooth pos­ opening near the point, which may be sessed by many snakes in addition to the buried deep in the Aesh of a victim. fangs. ( :2) Grooved fang as in the back­ On the diagram there will be seen the fanged snakes. (3) and (3a) Typical fang poison apparatus of a Rattle Snake, and of Australian species, or the Cobras, etc., for convenience this may be considered in which the groove is not quite closed; this typical of Australian venomous snakes, type of fang is generally followed by one except that the fangs of our species are or more small teeth. (4) and (4a) Typical very much smaller and are permanently hollow fang possessed by Vipers and Rattle erect. The illustration shows the apparatus Snakes; the groove is completely closed; of one side of the head only. there are no other teeth on the maxillary A. ( 1) Muscles which open and close the bone, and it is erected or depressed as the jaws, surround the venom gland and jaws open and shut. THE AUSTRAUAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 25

Anvone who moves about where he is lil~e l y to come in contact with venomous snakes, or any home situ­ at<>d near where these reptiles abound, should have the following essentials: (I) crystals of permanganate of potash, (2) a small, sharp knife or lance, (3) and some string, elastic or rag that can be used as a ligature. Ligatures tied to prevent snake poison spreading Following upon a bite from a through the blood to the heart. The dots represent bite marks. venomous snake, and within a minute, if possible, a ligature must be applied close above the punctures, and on the Throughout the world there are side nearest the heart. Insert a stick many medical men who are making in­ into the loop of the ligature and twist vestigations and experiments with it round until the latter is exception­ venoms with the object of finding an ally tight; this is painful, but neces­ absolute antidote, one that will act suc­ sary. Then tie the stick higher up to cessfully against poisoning and death prevent it unwinding. As soon as this from snake. bite, no matter what is done wipe away any·venom or saliva species of snake inflicts the bite. A that may be on the surface of the ''ast amount of valuable information skin, and make several longitudinal has been supplied during the last few cuts over the fang punctures ; they years. shonld be as deep as, or deeper than, In Australia the most dreaded the punctures inflicted by the snake. species of snake is the Death Adder, Into these cuts force some crystals of and rightly too, for over so per cent. permanganate, and then squeeze the of persons bitten by this snake suc­ wound so as to get rid of as much of cumb to the venom. The Tiger Snake the poisoned blood as possible. If comes next with a ratio of 45 per cent. there are no cuts, cracks or abrasions deaths to bites inflicted; while the on the lips or in the mouth, the wound Brown Snake is much less deadly, the may be safely sucked, either by the percentage of deaths from its bites patient or by a friend; if any of the being about eighteen. The Black venom is accidentally swallowed. no Snake has verv few deaths recorded harm will come of it so long as the against it at ali, although the majority stomach is healthy and free from of bites are from this species. ulcers or inflammation. If the bites In this country a fair number of are on any part of the body where a fatalities from "snake bite" occur ligature cannot he applied, as much of every year; in many cases, lives which the above treatment as possible must have been lost could have been saved be faithfully adhered to. As soon as if proper treatment had been given. these operations have been carried out, Some of the improper treatments one a doctor should be sent fo r, but if hears of, however, such as .chopping they have been performed quickly and off a finger or a toe, cutting out lumps thoroughly, there need be very little of flesh , knocking a patient about to anxiety as to the result, since per­ keep him awake, and other equally manganate of potash has been proved harsh operations. are absolutely un­ to be an absolute antidote to snake necessary, and often dangerous, and venom once it comes in contact with my effort here is to save all this as well it. If a ligature he kept tight for more as a few lives, by giving a safe and than half an hour there is danger of sure remedy, one that is within the mortification setting in, so at the end reach of all, and if carried out quickly of that time it should be loosened for and correctly. should never fail in cases an instant, and then tightened again. of bites from any of our Australian This operation should be repeateci snakes. every five minutes, and the doctor will 26 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM M AGAZINE.

advise as to when the ligature may be c:nake venoms, a ntidotes, treatment: finally removed. etc., but they mostly deal ,vith snakes Some writers have advised that if which are foreign to A ustralia. The the bite is anvwhere on the forearm fo!lowing is a summary of the tn:at­ or wrist. the iigatnrc must be placed ment , in the order in which it is b<'st abon• the elbow, as there is only one to apply it:- bone there, and more pressure can be r. L igature: to localise the effect brought to bear upon the blood ves­ of poisoning. sels, but, as venom spreads exception­ 2. Cut the flesh: to drain away ally qnickly, it is advisable to have it poisoned blood. tied close to the wound so that the 3· Apply permanganate crystals: poisoning will be localised, and the to neutralise and kill the venom can be removed more easily venom. than if it ·were allowed to spread 4· Suck or squeeze out as much throughout the muscles. A second blood as possible. ligature may be placed above the S· Send for a doctor. elbow if desired, but it is not abso­ lutely essential. I have placed the doctor last on the Alcohol and ammonia have no list for the reason that every second curative effect whatever. either taken is valuable; and every second that inwardly or applied to the wound. treatment is delayed m eans that the Venom has been mixed with both these venom is getting a better hold upon the chemicals and has retained all of its system. If the patient shows signs poisonous properties. of collapse, give stimulants such as In some countries, especially wh ere small doses of brandy or whisky. etc .. Cobra and \ ~ ipers exist, an anti­ or strong tea and coffee; he must also Yenine serum is procurable. This is have complete rest. injected hypodermically near the site Unless one has made a close study of a bite, and has proved to be most of snakes, it would be almost impos­ effective. It is prepared by treating sible for him to determine at a glance an animal (usually a horse) with in­ a venomous from a non-venomous creasing doses of venom for a con­ species, but the bite marks of the two siderable time, until it becomes types differ considerably from each immune to almost any amount of other, as illustrated on page 22. venom that may be injected into it; In A ustralia there are only two well­ then the serum is extracted. It is known non -venomous snakes, and they effecti,·e in cases of bites from the are the Diamond and Carpet snakes; species of snakes used in its prepara­ so, for safety's sake. all other species tion, but not in those in which the had better be looked upon as deadly, ,·ictim ha~ been bitten by some other or at least venomous. "pecies; for instance, Cobra antivenine A ny Australian snake which ts not is an antidote to Cobra poison only. thicker than your little finger ts too Some years ago the Public Health small to inflict a fatal bite. Department of ~ew South \Vales Tt is as well, however, to treat all made a number of experiments by hitec; as dangerous, because in some treating a horse \\"ith the Yenom of a c::tses, where the bite is from a non­ Tig-er snake; eventually an antivenine venomous type, blood poisoning may semm was prepared and was effective, set in. but 0nly for bites inflicted by Tiger Tn cases w here the large number snakes. In rgo6 the same Department of puncturfs leaves no doubt as to th e issued a pamphlet on venoms, com­ bite being that of a non-venomous piled hy the d()ctor who made all the snake, it is not necessary to applv a experiments, and I have no doubt that lig<~ture or to cut the flesh, but the any reader who is interested may still wound should be washed in a weak be ~blc to procure one on application solHtion o f permanganate of potash; to the authorities concerned There and hot fomentations would be of are many other splendid papers on g reat value. TH E AUSTRALIA!'\ MUSEUM M AGAZJ:-\E. 27

MUSEUM GROUPS. By THE EDITOR.

Until comparatively recent times, the dental dead animals, were transported animals shown in museums were mounted bodily to the museum. and there assembled in unifo rm rows, as single exhibits. Some in the exact manner of their occurrence. daring innovato r might go so far as to This painfully exact ''restoration" method display a bird perched on a twig, or a ha been impro\'ed upon by Dr. Frank M. mammal crouching on a bit of rock-work, Chapman, of the American Museum of but g roups in the modern sense were ~ atural Historv. X ew York. where the scarcely thought of until about fifty years finest examples-of group exhibits are to be ago. Now museums vie with one another in their efforts to display, not only the animals themselves, but their environment also, in the most r ealistic manner. The ea rliest attempt to realise the habitat g roup idea was made by Mr. E. T. Booth, of Brig hton, England, who made a collec­ tion of British birds, and mounted them, with accessories. to reprod uce mor e or less closely the surroundings in which they were obtained. The fi rst bird group was in stalled in the British Museum through the instrumentality of Dr. R. Bowdler S ha rpe, and a number of attractive ex­ hibits of this kind. sho wing the bi rds in their native haunts, usually accompanied by These animals and birds were all b rought from the their nest and eggs, now adorns the Bird Anta rc tic by Sir Emest Shackleton and Sir Douglas Mawson. a nd presente d by those explorers to the Gallery of that great in stitution. These museum. The small picture shows the ~roup under g roups are comparati vely small, but are con.s truc tion. In nature the birds would not pose constructed with great fi delity : the actual with such un~?ncem if th.~y discovered a s eal eme.rgd ing from a blow-hole, but would make hume soil, stones, g rass. shrubs, and even inci- undigni6ed departures.

DWELLERS OF THE ANTAR CTIC CONTINENT. 28 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE.

THE HAWAIIAN CROUP IN PREPARATION. The 6gures are shown without wigs, and the properties which are displayed with the completed group are not yet added. found. These, and similar UJP-to-date background was painted by Mr. H. R. groups elsewhere. have a foreground which Gallop. Within the last twelve months an is not an exact copy of any particular spot, Antarctic group has been added. Here. the but is intended to gi,·e a good general idea foreground represents a low, snow-cover~d of the sort of place where the animals Ji,·e. The plants and shrubs. the rocks and soil, shore, with the seals and birds charactens­ are imitated as closely as possible to har­ tic of these inhospitable regions: and, _ex­ tending a_way to the distance, 1s an 1ce- monise with the actual conditions surround­ ing the Ji,·ing animal. This foreground merges into a painted, curved background, resembling the drop-scene of a theatre, which, by a clever use of perspective, con­ ,·eys an illusion of expanse and distance, so that, when viewed from a darkened passage-way in front, the whole scene, which is illuminated from within the case, has an almost startling air of detachment. In the Australian Museum, groups of nesting birds, and some of the smaller .\us­ tralian mammals. such as the platypus and the native cat. were installed years ago. These small groups. which are comparable with the habitat bird groups in the British Museum. are skilfully and artistically arranged. and are life-like representations. More recently a large case, containing a group of four lions, each a fine example of the taxidermist's art, has been provided with a scenic background of forest. plain, and hill, with here and there small herds of zebras. antelopes, and giraffes. The foreground and the mounted lions are the work of Ward's Natural Science Establish­ ment, Rochester, ~ew York, "the god­ A quaint o ld sketch of a family of Sydney Aboriginals made by Governor King when he father of all museums,'' which has played governed New South Wales. The family are an important part in th(' development of returning from a fishing expedition, t~e mah modern taxidermy and animal groups; the carrying a curious fishing spear. 1t 1s sue groups a' this that the Museum hopes to erect. THE AUSTRALIA:\! ~USEUM MAG.-\ZL'\E. 29

THE HAWAllAN GROUP COMPLETE. The family is shown engaged in their ordinary work. The old woman beats out the bark of a tree to make native cloth: the girl asaistin~r by pouring water on the material. Both men are mashing the roots of Taro into "poi" or native porridge. field, broken up by lanes of blue water. weapons, utensils, and ornaments; for In the offing lies a ship, and a landing party e\·ery progressi\'e museum now endea,·ours, is shown on the ice front. This Antarctic by means of carefully executed models, group reflects tbe greatest credit on the preferably life-size. and prepared from liv­ taxidermist, Mr. H. S. Grant, and his ing subjects, accompanied by appropriate assistant, Mr. ]. H. Wright, who mounted implements and effects, to portray for its the animals and constructed the fore­ visitors the actual appearance, dress, cus­ ground, on Mr. Gallop, who painted the toms, and daily life of various races .of background. and on Mr. A. R. McCulloch, men. If it is desired to show a tribal group who superintended the installation. Any in a natural, out-of-doors setting. a pic­ defects in the group are attributable to the tured background is added to harmonise fact that, as yet, there is no system of with the foreground. The Hawaiian artificial lighting in the museum. family group. recently installed in the . Groups such as these com·ey much more Ethnological Gallery. is one of the most mformation to a visitor than serried ranks admired exhibits in the Australian Museum. of single exhibits, and also create a livelier This depicts a family of four. engaged in interest in the facts of natural history. the preparation of ·'poi'' from the root of With this object in view, the administration the taro, and the manufacture of tapa cloth has projected additional groups-one repre­ from the bark of the paper-mulberry tree. sentmg a coral reef pool, the haunt of These rlgures, which were cast from nature sponge and pearl-shell, tenanted by many­ by Mr. Alien Hutchinson, and have been coloured fishes, and walled in by masses of skilfully coloured by Miss Phrllis Clarke. gorgeous coral. In the Great Barrier Reef. from li\'ing models. are instinct with life. A~stralia can boast of the greatest accumu­ Our aborigines, like all primiti,·e peoples lation of living coral in the world; Yet who come into contact with ci\'ilisation. comparatively few Australians have ~ny are rapidly dwindling in number : the Tas­ adequate conception of the transcendent manians are already extinct. and in the near beauty and brilliant colours of live coral. future no full-blooded Australian black will S? unlike the specim ens seen on mantel­ be left. All the more, then, is it necessary pteces or museum shelves. Another will for us to secure. while we may. and pre­ s~ow a tide-pool in Port Jackson, peopled serve for our descendants, faithful repre­ Wtth the marine organisms common in our sentations of the people themseh·es. their harbour. tribal customs, and their daily life. The The group idea has been extended to in­ Board of Trustees is fully ali,·e to the im­ c1 ude man as well as the lower animals. portance of taking this work in hand, and so that ethnological and historical exhibits a start will shorth- be made with the first are no longer confined to collections of group of Australian natives. Metal Showcases While Wunderlich Metal Show Cases are essentially smart in appearance, yet their simple designs make them uncom­ monly efficient in dis­ playing goods. Such cases can never distract attention from the objects they contain, and remain at all times solely a handson1e accessory.

Asbestos Reinforced Cement-Durabestos

is composed of tough blue grey sheets of mineral asbestos fibre and cement, compressed to fiint-like hardness. Walls and ceilings of Durabestos are insect and fire proof; will not warp or buckle and are easily and quickly erected. By eliminating guesswork in estimating, Durabestos also avoids unexpected expense. WUNDERLICH LIMITED The Ceiling People, Head Office: Baptist Street, Redfern. Showrooms: 56 Pitt Street, Sydney. Postal Address: Box 474, G.P.O., Sydney. And at 53 Hunter St., Newcastle.