The numerals in the aboriginal language at this place proceed as far as three. Thus: one, Metombul—two, Bulla—three, Bulla metong; and Biolong, which signifies any quantity.[107] The dread of ridicule prevails to as extensive a degree among the females of this savage as among our more civilized races. One of the naked Venuses at this place was induced some time since by a European, during the absence of her tribe, to array herself in drapery; a petticoat was the portion of a lady’s dress selected, but the garment was as often thrown over the shoulders as around the waist. When the tribe returned it happened to be the latter, and they made most particular inquiries respecting the reason that she was so clothed—and whether she was ashamed to be naked, according to the custom of her forefathers? So much ridicule was levelled against her costume, that being unable to parry their jokes, she threw the garment aside, and never afterwards resumed it; she then went about perfectly naked, innocent, and unconscious of shame. To express delight the natives utter a quick or rapid succession of whistling sounds. They have some idea of the fine arts, as I judged from some rude sketches made by a native lad in my presence. He took a piece of charcoal and sketched some figures upon a sheet of bark, which formed part of the roof of the low hut; blackee called them “white fellers,” and seemed much amused at the idea. The “Native or Wood-pheasant,” or “Lyre bird” of the colonists, the “_Menura superba_” of naturalists, and the “Béleck, béleck,” and “Balangara” of the aboriginal tribes, is abundant about the mountain ranges, in all parts of the colony; the tail of the male bird is very elegant, but the remainder of the plumage in the male, and the whole of that of the female, is destitute of beauty. The tail of the male bears a striking resemblance, in its graceful form, to the harmonious lyre of the Greeks, from which circumstance it has received the name of the “Lyre bird” of Australia. The tail-feathers, detached entire from the bird, are sought for by collectors for their beauty, and are sold in the shops of the zoological collectors at Sydney, in pairs, formerly at a cheap rate, as the birds then abounded in the mountain ranges of the Illawarra district; but now that the bird, from its frequent destruction, has become rare, these tails have attained a price of from twenty to thirty shillings the pair. About the ranges, however, of the Tumat country, where they have been seldom destroyed, they are seen more frequently; at this season of the year, (December,) it has its young; indeed this is the season that the young of all the wild animals are produced in the colony, and can consequently be procured with facility.