J oyce K. Allan

41 Pages·2013·11.24 MB·English

Oar Native Slua • • • • • - • J oyce K. Allan
A.ntca,: Betel aad Lime-- Primitive Narcotic • •
Frederick D. Mc Oarlhy
Aquatic luecta • • • Keith 0. McKe010n
The Maternal lutinct in Insecta • Keith 0. McKeoum
The Natural History of Rarotonga • G. P. WMtley
Some Aboriginal Beliefs and Customs - • - • •
A. W. Bucknell
1933. Price-ONE SHILLING.
JAN.~MARCH.
PUBLISHED QUARTERLY
JANUARY lG, 1933.
.....t erecl at the Qenual Poet omce. Sydney, tor trao.unt•slon by pon aa a parlodloal.

THE AUSTRALIAN
MUSEUM MAGAZINE
CON~PENTS. J an.-:~ia1·<·h, 1933.
A Xann; Oli' \YO.:'\AR \·rr.L._\GJ~;, P .Ll'I'A, CnE\Vrxc;
BETEL 1\irx'l'PRE Fronti:stJiecc~
Otrn X.iTJYJ£ Sr;p,~~loycc /(. _lllcw
CoLLF:<"nxc; ox rrrnr: 1\lL·nn c l'Ha DGEI·;
Arux·A, BETEL n.xD Lna:-A PRDI 1'1'1 n .; X .Utl'OTH'-
p;·ederick D . Jlcflarthy 7
AQ"C .~TH · l :'\ ~EcT:::;-K e it 71 0. Jf ell ec)lc J/ 14
BIOGR.iPIIIC'AL XoTH'B OF DH. T. SToRm Drx:::;o~ 21
rl"IIE :JLiTEit:'\AL l:'\~'1'1:'\T'l' IX l:\~ECTS-Keith ().
J/e A-eot c J( 2;~
TnE X.\ 1T IL\L llL.''J'OltY OF R.iiW'l'O;'\(J.~-G. P. 1 rlzit7 ey 2;)
R
~ E\'IE \Y ~ ·e.> ~1
So.\n:; AuoHIGIXAL BELIEFs AXD CrsT0.\1!-;-.L ll'.
B uck11 fll 33
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A n:tth·e o[ "\Vonar villa,.:;t-, ,'\"nrtlt-castc·rn BiYision of P ntHHt, chcn·in~:; tltt" beh•l-ntixtu-re.
H~ i1; using a 11lain ,,·ootll•Jl sJUttnla, :uul ltis l'III(IJII:'I· of Ar(>ca uuts is ktc'Jit in n n('1tNl h:a~.
H 1s lu~nd-tlrt"ss is Yery t>l:tborate, his nrnas and le~:;s ;u·tc• (h'<.'UTatt·tl n·ith tllaHc~cl ,:.·t·ass lHtntl:.;.
:1 Conus shell is ou each a rn1, strings of Nnss:1 she lls t•n(•'irt·~e his •u•ck, :and :t l'Ut•lu sht.•ll
is susalt'lHled on a strinA· of llNI-litlttt•d Stronahus roneul his uet•l~. :\ b:uubou t•itlc.' lit•:o; :d his
sillt·. (.S"e ".\ ret•:t, Be1el :nul Linte", )t:tl-!,·t• 7.)
fi'huto.- C'<tJl/ctill lo'l'ttllk llurlcl/.
THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM
MAGAZINE
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Editor: C. Axut:n~o:'\, )LA., D.Rc., C."Jl.'l;.S. Annual Rnh~<·t·iption, PoRt Ft·<'l', 4/-~
.T,\ :\ L\RY-JL-\.Ht'll., l!):t1.
~~~====~~==~====~======~
Our Native Slug
WIIEX an ('llqniJ·y eonte1·ning <111 \\'<'t·e <liffe1·en t f1·om Clll.Y otlwt slug.~ . ;UHl
111111. ·ua1 m1imnl is made to tlw iook a sl)ecinwn bac-k to Pari~ with tltC'm,
C'onchologita 1 Dt>pal'tment of thP \\'hPl'(l it W<l!o; <lxamiJIP<l c-md C<-HlsNl mncll
"JlnR<'nrn, on obset·,·ai ion the specimen is <'X<'itPment. Lai('J' other spednwn~ wt're
grnera lly found to be ('ithe1· the Hammt>l' sPnt abroad ft·o111 .Xp"· ~ealnnd nnd thr
heafled Oy~te1· or tlH• natiYe slug of 4\dmh·nlty _\ t·('hip<•lc-lgo; thr~l' w<'I'e
.\ nRh·aUa. tiHnwd and now it is known that '('\'N'<ll
'
'l"his strange lc-1ncl-dwPlling ~lug <1 i ffpJ·ent sp(_•eips of bitentacnla te sings
belong~ to a g1·onp wh ieh contains the o<·c·m· in th<>sc loc·nlities.
mo:.;t <:urious f01·ms found in tlH' In 1 :)(),Dr. :\l<lC'dollalcl. Ju1dng fonnd
mollu~tan kingdom. { 11likP any oi her <1 fonu in X('W lT<'lH·ides wllith lw l'<'tOg-
land slng, it ha~ mlly H :-;ingle pait· of 11 izP<l as qnitt' <1 i fl'<'rent fl-om the ~cw
tPn 1H < ' l es, he a l'in g: PY<'s, no tra cP of tlw ~cc-1land one, \\'l'OiP Hn <l('tonnt of H in the
smnllrt l)Hir being J>l'l'Sent, nnd fo1· thi~ . I Juwls and Jla,qazint> of Yatural Jlisto.ry.
t·pn~on it and jts t-lllies <H·e 1o::·! ene1·all•y :t<ldinor--· that lw lwd •, ·nst heard of the' cxLst-
known as Bitenta<:ulate Hlugs. t•nce of an nJHll~s<·J·i l>Nl Anstt·nlinn ~lng
Lit tiP is known about the habits of which nndonbiedlY l)('longl'Cl to the s:lJUC
th('!-W !Slugs and still less about theh· life gt>nus a~ his sp<•<·i<'~. Th~ X ew Ifpbri.d<'l'
histoty. Tlwy we1·e lil·:-;1 obs<'J'Y<'d in thl' sing ,,·a. h11c1· ll<lnH'd <lfte1· him . . l 11C1fNt
SOlltlH'l'll ]H•mh;p}H'l'(' <lN fat l>atk e:1S ] 827 Jil{((·donalrli Lr·v' Gt·P.y who also lHlllH'<l
'
hy th(• 1wo Fl'ent'h natnraliHhi, Qnoy HIHl ~-;mnr specim) ens from .New C<:1lrdon ia.
0 <lim::nd who saw SJH'(·iln<•ns on 1eaYes ']'hp fi1·st S]Wdmen~ of bitrnin<'nhlt<'
of' it'('<'s while theh· ''<'~Nt'l, the Astrolabe, si ugs to 1·each l~m·op<' from .\ us1ra I i<l
\\'Mi n nthOI·ed in 'l'ctl'unnu's RaT, ~<'"' HJTi,·ed Owt·e <l f<'w YPe:u·s aftt•t· ilat• ~<.''''
Ze<lhllHl. TheJ insinn11y l'P<:og-u.ized by li<'hri(l<>s fm·ms W<'l'(: nnmNL ThP~l' h:td
th<· sing;lp pail' or t<•n1nC'lcs that they hren tollet1ed <11 "~ollongong. <l t·o:tsl:tl
f<'tlfH<'IPH (•jt ltl'l' <'Oillplc•lc·J.\ 01' :tiiiHI 'I
l'Ph·ndPd, hut it iH :thl1• to sl t·c·ll·h le, H
g t'<'<l l IPngth, <1~ lllll<'h <IH li\ P inc-llc•s, \\ l11•11
<Tnwlillg, wil ll f('ttl;t<"lt•H \\ I'll 1'\s(•t·lc•d
:lllCl (:lil :Ji(<'ll11<l(Pd.
On Uw 1·igh t ~id<' of 1 h<• do1·s•d ~~~ i<'ld <11
1lw .inn('( ion of t lte t "·o si ighil~· ~hot·l PI'
~i<l<•s is :111 oppning, ilw ]HlllllOll<tr·,r
ot·i li('C', rn pn bl<~ of ('Onsid(\1'<1 blc• Pxpnn~ion.
'l'h1·ongh ihh; m·ifi<'r air pntprs ilw lnng.
whi<'h .._ n lw ~rr11 whC'n the oprning is
(':l
fn1lv cxicndcd. .\ W(\11-defined mrclb1n
line. rnnH ft·mn ihp lwsr of t he ~l1ic·ld io
ilw i;lil tip, lH•<·oming faintrl' ns it
nppr'O<H·hc·~ ihP c)nd. The slim~· W<'l
appNn·nnc0 of i he slng is due to almtHl·
<llH'r of 11'<1 HR]Hll'Pni Jnncus, p)n?n off from
1lw e<hre of the ~ltipld.
A groovr n rises on each si<lP of tiH'
month at the anip1·ior end of the Rlng.
and Jl<l~X{'~ l'OlllHl the uase Of 1h<'
trntnde~ : thc:w grooYes gradm1lly
JI a pptoa eh and m(~et 0a eh other. rntlm-iin~
a f;H·ial nrea anterior to and eqnal i11 ~iz<·
to ihe dol'Rnl ~hicld. 'rhe groo,·es then
.·cp;n ate nnd compktely enci1•clr ihe
~hield. PN·11I iar ma1·kings exactly 1i kc•
the YC'inin~~ of a leaf coYer tlw donml
!';nrf<H'0 ; n~ thr!';e c1·eatures ar<> so often
found amongst leaves tlris marking ma.''
hn vr n pt·oi ec-1 i ve effect.
'J'n·o Of 11H• COIIllliOIH'l' [Hl'IIIS Of lht• n:tti\'(' A slw1 1 i ~ l'<'IH'rsrn t'€ <1 on 1y lly a f<•w
sisl u~b r(oAwtnHi•Hshc a o~r rw:nf.'rleloi)w. is1h' hc~ ·rgceenn.e ranl· itcho lothuer ''"hi tr <' <11 <·< 1l'P01l ~ f n1 ;u:-. m('n ts hen Nl t 11 1lw
tri:nt~uhar dnrsal shit•lcl m:tr~haefl n·itla anterio1· <'lHl of the shield: thrrP ix no
bri~hi rNl, ns il-l thC' <'il~<· of thl• aniuanl iu
the ri~ht hancl l'IJit't"imt•n. 'l'ht• unflcrsurf:tl't' PXiP1·nnl ~IIC'll £1~--; in the snail. and no
is shnwn in th(' ('('ntr(' figure.
[Joy<:e K. Allan. clel. eompl<'iP in1eJ'Il<1: 1 shrlJ. Tlw sing has <1
Yr1·y ~h·ong .i<-lW imhedded in th0 month
towu of )\pw ~onth \\.niP~. They \Yet·P OlH'ning and c.1 long· ribbon-like tongn<'.
called fJI'a'fJ<'i. an<l thi~ i~ the one now Th<' <·olonr ~t'Pms to YHl'\ consider<1 bl~·
eommonly oc·tnnin~ in X<-'w Ronth \Vale~ in ilw .. \ w.;ir·<lliHtt spPeim~ns. nncl it is
<liHl suppos<><l to h(' 1h <• snmP (-ls the one dem hi fn I w h <' tlH'l' \\'(' ha n " a llll m l>r1· of
fomHl <l bnn <la n tl y i u (~ tH'c>nsla nd. cli~tind SJH'<'it•s ot· only tolotn n ni<'til'S.
Tt is not intPtHh•d to discu~s fully the ~Ph<• iypi<·<ll fm·m t'ouud rOl1Jld R;rchrey
anatomy of 1h e A nshal inn :lug in thi~ <llHl snhm·bx <11Hl Xew Ronih \Ynlps
m·title. R11pel'fi<-ia 11)' i1 s most conspituon~ gPIH'l'<lll_y, .I JJ ('if('(( .rf}'(CfJf'i, \'<-ll'iP~ f1'0 ll1
fent nr·(:•s <ll'<' tlw ~hq.!;lt• pH i1· of long, wide )'C'Ilowi:·dl-bJ·0\\"11 to gJ·peni~ll-gJ·Py. TIH'
i111iHt. t·t'tracti l<>, vye-hpa l'i ng tentacle!'\ lllHl<'I' !·nn·fH<·P is lighiPt' ~rpllow. .\. blood·
ancl a wPll-dPiint>d tl'iangnhn-shaped 1·P<l I>OJ·d(•J· onf linPs tltr dor~ml ~hi<'lcl.
shiPI<l on the dot·snl snr·fnce. The r1nimill J hnn· :-;ppn ~Jwcinwns of 1lris colonJ'.
h; typically slng-1 i kP. n n<l a~RumPs many bn1 wi1h <1 bold t·ed IJordPI' on1liJling ihc•
difft•l·<•nt positionH and l-<IWpP~. \YIH'll wholp <lllinwl. ..\ s f;n· b<td~ n:-; l~():i ihis
I'eRting. i1 is mmally flnt. J·omHle<l in RhHP<-"' \'Hl·ieiy \\'il s c·onxi <lc•rpel to hl' H <l i:-;t i nd
<111<1 abon t 1 wo indwx long:, with tlw xpPd Ps. :ltl(l \\'<lH known <1H \ Jif'ilcu krt•.O'ti,
.1.\'-. IH. tn:tt 'I'll!~ .A US'l'H.AJ.JIAN MUSEUM ~1A0A7;INE.
bn t :1 t p1·c>~Pni i hi~ di f'f<'l'('ll tiation iH rnwy appC<HNl afte1· ltean· 1'<1 in, :llH1
ig'llOI't'd <llHl both ;ll'{' gPHl'l'Hil_y phltC'<l jn wlwn 110i ennYling cx1PJH1<'d. w<·r<'
tiH' OlH' ~JH'eiPR, fjl'(('jJ('i. fl<lttt'll('<l ont 1TkPmld ing d~rin~ 1'('<1 gnm
IlOW(I\'t'J', a fn'}:ll d iffitultv has ariRen 1P<l Yf'.·. 'rhr ~pedme11 at the p1·ek<'ll1' time
now whic·h ~mgg('Si.H i here n\ay b( afte1· ik still a li n• i 11 the tln ln \Yilich jf was
3
nll. RC\'('J'<ll diH'<>rent spec-ies of tlH'Hf' kent. hut if it fC'edH 011 thP 1en Yek and
bitcutnculatt• ::;lngs in_Austre:tlin, <:lnd tha1 gT<l~SC's it C'nnnot l>e obtaining mneh nonr
i!-)!nncnt from tlwm, as they are now dry
t·hcy <.ll'C not <lll eolou1· nu·iPtics of tht'
one spccieH. and ~luin>lled. It is the same col01u·
<lll on'I·, the tentacles alone having bluish
f:italk · and ycllo,,· apice~. \:Vhen extC?ndefl
normally, the anim<1l reaclleR a length oE
<lhont fmu and a half inches. and iik
bn>ade ·t mPas1u·ement is three-quarters of
an inch, hut it <'Onld p1·obabl~· elongate
much more. In cll'y weathel' n011e of thPRC
slugs wc1·e seen at thh; loca 1ity.
Tn 1892 th<::> late C'hm·les llcdlry
recorded fron1 the summit of Bellenden
Ker l\1ouuta in and the P1·o~erph1e River,
no1·th Queenslnnd, a melon-pink s1ng
whkh hP c·onsiderccl to be cliffer·ent from
the typical yellowish-gTeen form, <111d he
the1·efo1·e nanwd it Anaitea ·rosca.
. .
'Vheth<'l' this speties ft•onJ QnePHslancl i~
'j(
the same as the ones from Ut. Kapntar
/ 1·emains to be seen, a.· ther<' i!-) no sped
men of the fOJ·mer in thi~ ~[nHeum, and,
even if there \Vel'e, 1n·e~erYation would
make compal'ison clHficnlt. It would be
11ecessary to study live spedmens from
both lotalities to settle thi:o:; poiut, fm•
after being h1 p1·eservative tlwy natnralJ~·
lose their colour and becomt> so111ewhat
wrinkled.
~11'. A. J. ThL1c-kway, n keen con
c:hologi!-)t says lw has seen hnndl'eds of
tl1e yel1owi,-h-brmn1 ones OH the ba11k~ of
1\lihi Creek nem· A I'mid}11<'. :\('W ~outh
1.'l•e restin~o:; :HIJ(l cr:n,·Hu;.:- stagt• of a " 7ales, after hea''Y rain, an<l that the
ll:J rticu) :n•l :V IIH•:J Uti ful IIH~ 1 Oll-[li 11 k crayftr-;_h lu the CTt'ek cat them.
colourccl slug (Anf'itea sll.) from
1\(ount l~:q1ut:1r, Narr:1hri, Ne"lV lt is always chu·ing w<'t '"eaihPr thnt
South "\V:Jleli'.
[Joyce K . Allan, del. these slugs appenr, <·re:twling orer gras ·
and leave~, ot· np 1Tees. As tlH'I'P is no
fll the lm.;t week of ~ovembet of la!-)t sign of them ju the d1·_y wcathel', their
yea1·, a l>eautHnl 1 in~ spedmen of a ln·ig-ht wmJdet·ings a re probably nottlu·rnll, and
melon-vink col01.n·C'd sing was forwm·ded j n ven' droughty weather· it is poRsiblP
to the ~Iuseum by ~h·s . .A. J. P<nk. Thi~ that they become dormant likr the snnil.
WHH only one of hnndreds fouud crawling Jledlr.v fonnd them only 11nder logs and
about amoup;st t·ock~ and lea,·c~ and in stones in dense scrub, n dozen or ll.lOl'e
dcu·k placek l'ight at the ~mmmit of ~H. dustN·c>d togPther. ~howing their gregari
Kap11im· (\00~ ft.), nca1· Nan·abri, New ous ha bits; one specimen fonud 1JHH1C'r tl
Hou t h \V;tlN,. log h:.ld nbout hnlf a dozen g-lobular
.I,'· tti. I !1:;;; rpnE Ali~TlL\LlAN .MUSEU~f lVIAGAZINg. 7
i\reca, Betel and Lime---A Primitive Narcotic
Bx FRlWERJl'K D. :llc(\ ut'l'IIY,
.Assi:-tnnt in Ethnolog-y. Australian ~Iuseum.
Pluck wild areca nut, ha! ha! ha!
Hot wild areca nut, ha! ha! ha!
An old woman plucked it, ha! ha! ha!
By the side of the stream, ha! ha! ha!
She bit it on trial, ha! ha! ha!
She turned giddy and fell over, ha! ha! ha!
Into a bull-ants' nest, ha! ha! ha!
She ran away and left her stick behind. ha! ha! ha!
The stream washed it down, ha! ha! ha!
And then the boys
Netting prawns found it, ha! ha! ha!
And broke it in two, ha! ha! ha!
With shouts and yells, ha! ha! ha!
f his is a lullaby crooned by a mother to her child about the wild areca nut, as recorded by
Ivens from the south-east Solomon Islands, and suggests probably as a warning to the child its
effects when first experienced.
CHE\\. .. !~G of the l>etPl m.ixtnre is nn
anCI<'nt custom, and IF\ rn·actiF\ecl
There th1·ee principal constituents
aJ'('
in south India, Ri<lll1. Chin<L
of the betel n1ixtn1·<'. The nuts of the
~Ia~aysia, the Philippin<' lHlands, :Xe,,
Areca Palm (_-!rcca catechu), the leaves,
Gul1wa, and nol'th-west )[planeRia. Tt i:-;
fruit and stem of tlw betel vine 01· pan
with t1w t\\'o la:-;t mentimwd HI't'as 1h n1
( Oha,'Uioa, betfe :Atiiq.), and linw. Othet
thiR <n·title will deal. Its Ronthern limits
lngrediPn1s may be nddNl, and in westrr11
in ~Ielanesia <U'e T1 kopia ( i nh<l hited hY
Papna a Jcu·ge bea 11-~hapPd f1·uit is also
Polyne~ia?s~ and the Santa Cn ut. gron];.
chewed, which allows the mixture to bP
whet·e lt 1 111 everyday HR(', and in tlwHP
formed into a solid ball in tlle mouth,
two places kava js ah;o iltdn lu·ecl in lmi
1 l' . where H is k~pt day a1td night. Tobacco
0 u Y on re 1gJOUH occasionH, ahn d is tn·oh-
ably the oldet· habit. Riv(>t·R hHH Hngge~ie<l i~ also chpwed with ii.
that these two habits in :Xew Gujnea <lncl The A r·<>eH Palm iH a natiYe of l\lal::ty~ia,
not·th-west )lC'hlnef'iia c:hanu:terize two and lta~ been diffmwd throughout a wide
peovleH, whom lu~ calls tlw ''bC'tPl-pPople" <nea from this region, and many closely
a.~d the ''kH\ ':1-people'', who lu1v c allied species e.n e nl~o found in Nf'W
~.m~l<:>d with anothet· bnt eal'liet in Guinea nnd ~lelancf.iia. A raca cafc>('kl.ft is
. Igenous peoplr, .·o that a c·omplex blend a Ye1·y b(>nntifu l p<l hn, t·eaching a height
of about fifty feet, nnd a tit·ttmtferencr
m~ of <:nlhn·p:-; took plac·e. Heu<·P lw
thm. ks• betel llll· X- t lU e WHH J· lltt·oduted 1· 11{0 of up to eighteen indH·~. It haH a crown
~Is I'egion as a fully developed cuHtom. of nine Ion~ pinnate f1·onds, and is C'ulti
n1ted in thr vjllag<•s by the nniin•s. It
owe~er, the ot·igin of thef:W peoplP~ <111<1
occ1n in N o1·th Q1H'ensland, bnt is not
of ihC'n· va1·iouH enl t'tnef.i is C'llslninecl j 11
~YRtPI·y. MHny such customR haYP !wen used by the a bol'ip:itH'F\.
11~ttc~duc.<:>d int.o n01·th-weF;t XPw Guinc•n The O't·oves of thefo;<' o·t·e:u·eful I><lltns
z, h
.Y < onta(·t WJth the )lalayf.;, and ]>Os- m·ound and in the \'illages add greatly to
·!-i I 1) I Y I 1Y m1. gnlnl H, and then<·P. ha n~ spr<'ad their beauty. The palm IW ell'S lnnH:ht>~' of
0 ll'OIIg lt 1}1(• iHh\nd. ft·uit ea<.:h single mw of wltieh i~ about
----------------'l-'H--E- -A-U--S-T-R-A--L-I-A-N-- M--1-J-S-E-U-M-- -M-A--O-A--Z-I-N-K- -----.)-A-~-.- -IH, 1!l:~:L
'l'1H• natin" ~lug of' Am.;tralin mu!it nol
h<' eonfusecl with the difTe1·ent spec·i<'!-\ of
the introduced Bnglh;h sing al)OU t fh·p
species of whidt an• now widely <1 i~-;t l'i
bntt•d throughout Ansh·alia. Thes<' intto
Sitle '\•it''v of 1he iJatroduc.•ed I•~ngliSil slug dneed slugs hav<' probably been bl'onght
(Agriolimnx lrevis) often found feeding uoou
young cnbbnges an<l nther Ye~et:ables in into thi~ couuh·y with plants, and at·<·
~:anl<•nN. The :a<ldition:tl a•uir of tentacles
are seen belo"· the long eyt>-h('aring }lair. now common in p_;u·dens, where they n t·(·
[Joycc K. Allan, del. most deshuctiv<' to tlH' young Y('getableH,
gelatinous eggs, about one-qnart'€1' of an t>spccially cabbage~; 1hey a1·e also found
inch in cUameter, lying alongside it in a in 1·emote parts of tlw tontinent.
hole in thr g1·ouncl. 'l'hey are ec-tsi l;y diH1inguished from th(l
A close study has yet to be made nH tiYP slug by th<• pt'C'Ht-'nce of two pair.
whereby we may find what i hrse interest of trntacle: otw long upper pair bPa.l'i ng
ing ;lugs feed upon, whet het they are ey<)s and an inferim· lower pair. The ;hell
edible, how long they lh"r, how many eggs is I'Cpi·e. ented by an internal complete
they lay, and many- othr1· intt>l·e;ting facts one under the ~kin of the dorsal shi<>l<l.
not yet known. nnd uot f1·agment~ a. in the latt<·r ·lng.
Collecting on the Murrumbidgee
'l'hr field pa1·ty consi!-iting of 'Jles r · . and honeyl•at('J·s abound, with a Hpl'ink
.J . H. Kinghotn, Zoologist, K. 0. Ung of large1· hit·d~, <tnd on thr Hwnmp~
'JlcK<)own, Assistant Entomologist, and and lak0 a1·e thou~and~ of dn<·ks, ihi~.
\Y. Barnes Assistant. P1·epm·ator, ·pent spoonbill .. c·ormorantH. dotteH~l., rcu·iou~
an inte1·esting and profi Utble fiye wepk.· wading bird .. n nd a f<)w tern .
on thr 'Jiuttnmbidgee Inlgation Area
Tlw fauna ,-al'i<·~ sllghtl~r a<'<'Ol'diu~ to
dm·ing September and Oc·tober. Thr
thr general wrai het· eonditionH of the
'YaiPr Consen ·ation and I nio·ation ('om-
:-- State. In 1inwx of inland d1·ou~h1
mi~xion gPnerously ph1eed a light t1·uek
millions of du('kR c·ongi·eg;lte on thr <li'Pct.
at tlwi1· disposal, and i ht~ pl'incipal of tlw while b1·olg.-1s nHty hr connh'd in
Ynnc·o Agl'iculttll'al High School proYided
thousands, a-nd <'\'('11 (lmns may ht> sl'<'lt
aceommoclation and <'Y<•t·y fatility for
se<'king food <llHl wnter.
can ying ou the "·o1·k of c·ollecting.
The fauna pat·ticn huly tlw birds and pecimen~ S('('llJ·p{] inelude a lllllllht•r· of
in Red~, is iutet-e~tiug b('Cau. e of its tlw smalle1· lll<Ullmc-lls, hit·ds belonging to
val'i<'(V ~1nd dishibution. Twentv yeat·~ ~ixty ·peth'H, snn k('s, man~- liz;ll·d~:
ago this m·ea was but spm·~f'ly in\u{bi trd nnme1·ou~ fl-og-~ mHl ioad. , thon~<liHls ol
?Y a~imals of any kiud, but today, with inf.;eets Hll<l ;tJ·;H·hnid~, bcsidt'H lisht>s.
1ts m~1N~ of cmutl~, its c-ICt·cf.; of tice fields, molln~<:s, allll <·1·11~1 ne(l:lll!'\.
i;
a~Hl 1.ts l~1·ge pc1·manrni .. wnmps, it is U ix hotw<l tltat in a futnr.·e is~ll<'. .
r1ch m bn·d aud insPtt 1ifP. Th(~ birds tnOl't' detail<'d <1<'<·onn t of the lnllll<l " 1
at·e wid'€ ly dishibntcd, !'01· the1·e is abnn ;lppeal·, with illnsinl lions of ~oliH' ol' tl~<'
dmH·<• ~f food and watct·. .\mong the mot·c> intel'('siing S)H'clrs :tnd tht>rJ
.'mall 11mhe1· on the rin•1· flats pm·rots habitats.
. I ' " . I (). I ~ ); t l 'l'rtE AU~'L'HALlAN ~lUSEUM MAGAZfNE. 7
i\reca, Betel and Lime---A Primitive Narcotic
By li'RmnJ.;tucK D. l\1cCARTHY,
.A~~istant in Ethnology, Australian Museum.
Pluck wild areca nut, ha! ha! ha!
Hot wild areca nut, ha! ha! ha!
An old woman plucl<ed it, ha! ha! ha!
By the side of the stream, ha! ha! ha!
She bit it on trial, ha! ha! ha!
She turned giddy and fell over, ha! ha! ha!
Into a bull-ants' nest, ha! ha! ha!
She ran away and left her stick behind, ha! ha! ha!
The stream washed it down, ha! ha! ha!
And then the boys
Netting prawns found it, ha! ha! ha!
And broke it in two, ha! ha! ha!
With shouts and yells, ha! ha! ha!
fhis is a lullaby crooned by a mother to her child about the wild areca nut a . .
Ivens from the south-east Solomon Islands, and sugges.ts probably as a warnidg t~ ~~~0~~~~ ~Y
effects when first expenenced. ts
CHE'\Yl:SG of the betel mixhne i~ nn
I ~C:HEIHE:'\TS.
~lllC'i(lnt custom, and i. practi~ed
There are tln·c(' JH'in<'ipal constiin('nt
m ~outh India. Rinm. China.
of the betel mi xtute. The nuts of tlw
)Jalaysia. the Philippine Islands .Xew
G 1.1. 1nea, and no1·th-wN.;t ul(llan(l~i<t. ' It is At~ca Palm (A rcca catechu), the leaves,
fn~1t ~nd stem or. ilw betel vine m· pan
~with the two la~t mentionNl a1·e<'lS that
thi~ nrtiele will deal. Its !-lonthern limits ( Cha.vwcb betle M tq.), and lime. Ot hr1·
i~1 l\Iela?esia are 'l'i kopin (inhabited by jngl'rdiPnts may br added, and in wr~tP1·11
I olyn(l. wns) and tlw "'nnta Crnz gronp, PHtma a large bt•an-Hhaped fruit i~ all-!o
elwwf:\d, which nllowH the mixttn·e to lw
whe1·e it is in evPrydny nRP, and in tlH'!o·W
formed into a Rol id ball in the mouth
two place: kava is al!-io indulged in, lmt
where it is kept day and night. Toba<:<:t;
only on religiou oc<·asions, and is JH·oh
iH also chewed with it.
ably the older habit. Riv(\1·s haR sng~e~te<1
that the~e two habits in X<\"· Gnin(la <llHl The Areca Palmi~ a native of Malaysia
north-wc:t ~IC'lanesht ehat·actet·ize two and has been diffn~('d throughout a ~vid~
pcopl(l~, whom he calls th(' "bete1-p(l(>ple" <ll'~a from ~hiR J·<•gion, and many clos(lly
and the "k::~ va-ppople", who h<~ve alh<'d specws m·t n lso found in New
mingled with another but earliet iu Guinea and :\IPht n<•Hia. .·Lreca catechu is
a \'Cl'Y beautiful pnlm, 1·eac.hing a hPight
digenon · people, so that a complex bl('nd
ing of cultures took place. H enc·P lw of about fifty f<><'i. and a circumf('rcnce
of up to eighteen in <"it eH. It has a crown
think.· betel mixtut·c wns int1·odueed into
of nine long pinnatp honds, and is cnlti
thi: 1·egion as a fully developed cn~tom.
vnted in thf' vHlagf'H by thp nativNL It
Bowcvet·, the origin of tlwse peoplPs <lll<l
of their various cuUnr·0s is ensh1·ined in oc·c·nJ·s in Nol'th (~twensland, bnt iR not
mystety. }lany ~uch cu~toms have lH'C'll 11sed l>y tlw abol'ig·i II<'R.
intl·od tH'Pd into no1·i h-wcsi :Xpw Gni rwn The grov(ls of t hcsp gtaceful p:t lm~
by c·or1t ad wHh 1 he .Uah1y~, and po~­ ;u·ound and in tl1e villages add o·t·e;lily 1o
or
!iibly hy migt·n nt~. and thencP ha ,-c> spi·f•ad i heir beaut;y. '!'he palm bear~ hn ndw'i'l
thr·o11gh tJJP island. fn1it, each . jngle on<• of whiclt i::. al>ont