aboriginal word in Western Australiafor a flat weapon, curved for throwing, made plane on one sideand slightly convex on the other. A kind of boomerang.
1839. Nathaniel Ogle, `The Colony of Western Australia,'p. 57:
«In every part of this great continent they have the koilee,or boomerang . . .»
1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. 1.c. iv. p. 72:
«One of them had a kiley or bomerang.»
1872. Mrs. E. Millett, `An Australian Parsonage; or, TheSettler and the Savage in Western Australia,' p. 222:
«The flat curved wooden weapon, called a kylie, whichthe natives have invented for the purpose of killing severalbirds out of a flock at one throw, looks not unlike a birditself as it whizzes (or walks as natives say) throughthe air in its circular and ascending flight. . .»
1885 Lady Barker, `Letters to Guy,' p. 177:
«More wonderful and interesting, however, is it to see themthrow the kylie (what is called the boomerang in other parts ofAustralia), a curiously curved and flat stick, about a footlong and two or three inches wide. . . . There are heavier`ground kylies,' which skim along the ground, describingmarvellous turns and twists, and they would certainly breakthe leg of any bird or beast they hit; but their gyrationsare nothing compared to those of a good air-kylie in skilfulhands.»