Austral English Part 136

1874. J. White, `Te Rou, or the Maori at Home,' p. 221:

"Then they tied a few Karamu branches in front of them and went towards the settlement."

1876. J. C. Crawford, `Transactions of the New Zealand Inst.i.tute,' vol. IX. art. lx.x.x. p. 545:

"I have seen it stated that coffee of fine flavour has been produced from the karamu, coprosma lucida."

1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand, p. 132:

"Karamu. an ornamental shrub-tree; wood close-grained and yellow; might be used for turnery."

1887. T. F. Cheeseman, `Transactions of the New Zealand Inst.i.tute,' vol. XX. art. xxii. p. 143:

"The first plant of interest noted was a new species of coprosma, with the habit of the common karamu."

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 275:

"`Karamu' is applied by the Maoris to several species of Coprosma, amongst which, I believe, this [C. arborea] is included, but it is commonly termed `tree-karamu' by bushmen and settlers in the North."

1891. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' `New Zealand Country Journal,' vol. xv. p. 105:

"Of these fruits that of the karamu, (Coprosma lucida), seemed to be amongst the first to be selected."

Kareau or Kareao, n. Maori name for Supplejack (q.v.).

Karmai, n. used by settlers in South Island of New Zealand for Towhai (q.v.), a New Zealand tree, Weinmannia racemosa, Forst. N.O. Saxifrageae.

Kamahi is the Maori, and Karmai, or Kamai, the corruption.

1876. W. N. Blair, `Transactions of the New Zealand Inst.i.tute,'

vol. ix. p. 148:

"As will be seen by the tables of names, kamai is called black birch in the Catlin River District and Southland, which name is given on account of a supposed resemblance to the `birches,'

or more correctly `beeches,' a number of which occur in that locality. I cannot understand how such an idea could have originated, for except in the case of the bark of one there is not the slightest resemblance between the birches and kamai.

Whatever be the reason, the misapplication of names is complete, for the birches are still commonly called kamai in Southland."

Karoro, n. Maori name for a Black-backed Gull, Larus dominica.n.u.s.

1888. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. ii. p. 47: [Description.]

Karri or Kari, n. aboriginal name (Western Australia) for Eucalyptus diversicolor.

F. v. M.

1870. W. H. Knight, `Western Australia: Its History, Progress, Condition, etc.,' p. 38:

"The Karri (eucalyptus colossea) is another wood very similar in many respects to the tuart, and grows to an enormous size."

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 196:

"The kari-tree is found in Western Australia, and is said to be very abundant ... of straight growth and can be obtained of extraordinary size and length... . The wood is red in colour, hard, heavy, strong, tough, and slightly wavy or curled in the grain."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 444:

"Commonly known as `karri,' but in its native habitat as blue-gum... . The durability of this timber for lengthened periods under ground yet remains to be proved."

1896. `The Inquirer and Commercial News,' [Perth] July 3, p. 4, col. 5:

"Mr. J. Ednie Brown, conservator of forests ... expresses astonishment at the vastness of the karri forests there. They will be in a position to export one thousand loads of karri timber for street-blocking purposes every week."

1896. `The Times' (Weekly Edition), Dec. 4, p. 822, col. 1:

"Karri, Eucalyptus diversicolor, is the giant tree of Western Australia. an average tree has a height of about 200ft., and a diameter of 4 ft. at 3 ft. or 4 ft. above the ground. The tree is a rapid grower, and becomes marketable in 30 or 40 years, against 50 years for jarrah. Karri timber is being largely exported for London street-paving, as its surface is not easily rendered slippery."

Katipo, n. a small venomous spider of New Zealand and Australia. The name is Maori. The scientific name is Latrodectus scelio, Th.o.r.el.In New Zealand, it is generally found on the beach under old driftwood; but in Australia it is found widely scattered over the Continent, and always frequents dark sheltered spots. The derivation may be from Kakati, verb, to sting, and po, night.

Compare Kakapo. It is a dark-coloured spider, with a bright red or yellowish stripe.

1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 440:

"A small black spider with a red stripe on its back, which they [the natives of New Zealand] call katipo or katepo."

1870. Sir W. Buller, before Wellington Philosophical Society, quoted in `The Katipo,' Jan. 1, 1892, p. 2:

"I have satisfied myself that in common with many other venomous creatures it (the katipo) only a.s.serts its dreaded power as a means of defence, or when greatly irritated, for I have observed that on being touched with the finger it instantly folds its legs, rolls over on its back, and simulates death, remaining perfectly motionless till further molested, when it attempts to escape, only using its fangs as the dernier ressort."

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals, p. 39:

"Another spider (Lathrodectus scelio), which is very common here and everywhere in Queensland, is very dangerous even to men. It is a small black animal, of the size of our house-spider, with a brilliant scarlet mark on its back."

1891. C. Frost, `Victorian Naturalist,' p. 140:

"I also determined, should opportunity occur, to make some further experiments with the black and red spider Latrodectus scelio ... I found suspended in the web of one of this species a small lizard ... which doubtless had been killed by its bite."

1892. Jan. 1, `The Katipo,' a Journal of Events in connection with the New Zealand Post Office and Telegraph Services. On p. 2 of the first number the Editor says:

"If hard words could break bones, the present lot of the proprietors of `The Katipo' would be a sorry one. From certain quarters invectives of the most virulent type have been hurled upon them in connection with the t.i.tle now bestowed upon the publication--the main objections expressed cover contentions that the journal's prototype is a `repulsive,' `vindictive,'

and `death-dealing reptile,' `inimical to man,' etc. ; and so on, ad infinitum."

[The pictorial heading of each number is a katipo's web, suggestive of the reticulation of telegraph wires, concerning which page 3 of the first number says: "The Katipo spider and web extends its threads as a groundwork for unity of the services."]

1895. H. R. Hogq, `Horne Expedition in Central Australia, Zoology, p. 322:

"This spider, popularly known as the red streaked spider, is found all over Victoria and New South Wales, and is recorded from Rockhampton and Bowen on the Queensland Coast, and from the North Island of New Zealand, where it is known by the Maoris as the Katipo."

Kauri, or Cowry, or Kauri-Pine, n. Maori name for the tree Agathis australis, Sal. (formerly Dammara A.), N.O. Coniferae.

Variously spelt, and earlier often called Cowdie. In `Lee's New Zealand Vocabulary,' 1820, the spelling Kaudi appears. Although this tree is usually called by the generic name of Dammara (see quotation, 1832), it is properly referred to the genus Agathis, an earlier name already given to it by Salisbury. There is a Queensland Kauri (Dammara robusta, F. v. M.). See Pine.

1823. R. A. Cruise, `Ten Months in New Zealand,' p. 145:

"The banks of the river were found to abound with cowry; and ... the carpenter was of opinion that there could be no great difficulty in loading the ship. The timber purveyor of the Coromandel having given cowry a decided preference to kaikaterre, ... it was determined to abandon all further operations."