Austral English Part 109

1857. C. Hursthouse, `New Zealand, the Britain of the South,'

vol. i. p. 162:

"The 70,000 semi-civilised natives now in New Zealand are divided into some dozen chief tribes, and into numerous sub-tribes and `harpu.'"

1873. `Appendix to Journals of House of Representatives,'

vol. iii. G. 7, p. 87:

"Were not all your hapu present when the money was paid? My hapu, through whom the land Nvas claimed, were present: we filled the room."

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 171:

"An important structure that engaged the united labours of the hapu."

1887. J. White, `Ancient History of the Maori,' vol. i. p. 290:

"Each of which is subdivided again into Hapu, or smaller communities."

1891. Rev. J. Stacks, `Report of Australasian a.s.sociation for the Advancement of Science,' vol. iii. sect. G. p. 378:

"On arriving in New Zealand, or Ao-tea-roa, the crews of the colonizing fleet dispersed themselves over the length and breadth of these islands, and formed independent tribes or nations, each of which was divided into hapus and the hapus into families."

Hapuku, n. Maori name for a fish, Oligorus gigas, Gunth., called later Polyprion prognathus (see quotation, 1895), p.r.o.nounced hapuka, frequently corrupted into habuka, the Groper (q.v.). It is variously called a Cod, a Perch and a Sea-Perch. See quotations.

1845 (about). `New Plymouth's National Song,' Hursthouse's `New Zealand,' p 217:

"Lowing herds on every side, Hapuka in every tide."

1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui, p. 411:

"Hapuku, or whapuku, commonly called the cod, but a much richer fish in flavour: externally it more resembles the salmon, and is known in New Holland as the dew or Jew-fish. It attains a large size and is considered the best fish of New Zealand."

1862. Anon., `From the Black Rocks on Friday,' `All the Year Round,' May 17, 1862, No. 160:

"A kind of codfish called by the natives whapuku or hahpuka."

1878. P. Thomson, `Transactions of New Zealand Inst.i.tute,'

vol. XI. art. lii. p. 383:

"The hapuka, or groper, was in pretty regular supply."

1880. Guenther, `Study of Fishes,' p. 392:

"The second (Oligorus gigas) is found in the sea, on the coast of New Zealand, and called by the Maoris and colonists `Hapuku'

... Dr. Hector, who has had opportunities of examining it in a fresh state, has pointed out anatomical differences from the Murray Cod."

1880. W. Colenso, `Transactions of the New Zealand Inst.i.tute,'

vol. XIII. art. ii. p. 46:

"A feast of good things prepared--eels, and hapuku (codfish), and taro."

1884. W. D. Hay, in the `Field,' May 10, p. 637, col. 1:

"The pakirikiri(Percis colias) is the fish to which settlers in the north of New Zealand generally give the name of whapuka."

1895. `Oxford English Dictionary' (s.v.Cod):

"In New Zealand, a serranoid fish Polyprion prognathus, called by the Maories hapuku."

Hardhead, n, the English sportsman's name for the ruddy duck (Erismatura rubida). Applied by sportsmen in Australia to the White-eyed Duck, Nyroca australis, Gould. See Duck.

Hardwood, n. The name is applied to many Australian timbers something like teak, but especially to Backhousia bancroftii, F. v. M. and Bailey, N.O. Myrtaceae. In Tasmania, it means any gum-timber (Eucalyptus). It is in constant and universal use for building and fencing in Australia.

1888. Candish, `Whispering Voices,' p. 108:

"Sitting on a block of hardwood ... is the gray-haired forest feller."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. iii. p. 24:

"It was a hammer-like piece of hardwood above a plate of tin."

1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `Sydney-side Saxon,' p. 93:

"A hardwood slab-door weighs a goodish deal, as any one may find out that has to hump it a hundred yards."

Hardyhead, n. name given in Sydney to the fish Atherina pinguis, Lacep., family Atherinidae.

Hare-Kangaroo, n. a small Kangaroo, resembling the British hare. Called also Hare-Wallaby. The scientific name is Lagorchestes (q.v.).

1871. G. Krefft, `Mammals of Australia':

"The Hare-kangaroos, so called from their resemblance to that well known rodent, are the fleetest of the whole tribe, and though they do not exceed a common hare in bulk, they can make clear jumps of eight and ten feet high."

Hare-Wallaby, n. See Hare-Kangaroo, Wallaby, and Lagorchestes.

Harlequin-Pigeon, n. formerly referred to the genus Peristera, but now to the genus Phaps.

It is commonly called in the interior the "flock" pigeon.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 296:

"Large flocks of Peristera histrionica (the harlequin- pigeon) were lying on the patches of burnt gra.s.s on the plains."

Harmonic Thrush, n. See Port Jackson Thrush.

Harpagornis, n. a scientific name for a partly fossilised, huge raptorial bird of New Zealand. From Greek HARPA? harpax robbing, and 'ornis, a bird.

1878. A. Newton, `Encyclopaedia Britannica,' vol. iii. p. 731:

"There is a harpagornis, a bird of prey of stature sufficient to have made the largest dinornis its quarry."