BOOMERANG

a mi ile instrument used by the Australian aborigines. It is of hard wood, about the size of a common reaping-hook, and in shape resembling the letter A, but with a rounded top, and no stroke acro : in scientific language, the shape is a parabolA. It is about 2} inches broad, J inch thick, and 2 feet long, the extremities being rounded. One side is flat, the other is rounded, and it is brought to a bluntish edge. The boomerang is taken by one end, with the bulged side downwards, and the convex edge forward, and thrown directly onward as if to hit some object standing 30 yards in advance. Instead of going directly forward and there falling to the earth, it slowly ascends in the air, whirling round and round, till it reaches a considerable height, when it begin a to retrograde, and finally it sweeps over the head of the projector, and falls behind him. It is one of the ancient instruments of war of the Australian aborigines. They are said to be very dexterous in hitting birds with it. Attempts have been made to apply the boomerang principle in the construction of screw-steamers, but the results have not been satisfactory. 294