Austral English Part 141

1813. `History of New South Wales' (1818), p. 432:

"The koolah or sloth is likewise an animal of the opossum species, with a false belly. This creature is from a foot and a half to two feet in length, and takes refuge in a tree, where he discovers his haunt by devouring all the leaves before he quits it."

1849. J. Gould, `Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,' November:

"The light-coloured mark on the rump, somewhat resembling that on the same part of the Koala ... the fur is remarkable for its extreme density and for its resemblance to that of the Koala."

Kohekohe, n. Maori name for a New Zealand tree, sometimes called Cedar, Dysoxylum spectabile, Hook (N.O. Meliaceae).

1883. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand,' p. 127:

"Kohekohe. A large forest tree, forty to fifty feet high. Its leaves are bitter, and used to make a stomachic infusion: wood tough, but splits freely."

Kohua, n. Maori word, for (1) a Maori oven; (2) a boiler. There is a Maori verb Kohu, to cook or steam in a native oven (from a noun Kohu, steam, mist), and an adj. Kohu, concave. The word is used by the English in New Zealand, and is said to be the origin of Goash.o.r.e (q.v.).

Kokako, n. Maori name for the Blue-wattled Crow. See under Crow and Wattle-bird.

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 194:

"The Orange-wattled Crow, or wattled bird, kokako of the Maoris, Glaucopis cinerea, Gml., still seems to be an almost unknown bird as to its nesting habits... . The kokako loving a moist temperature will probably soon forsake its ancient places of resort."

Kokopu, n. Maori name for a New Zealand fish; any species of Galaxias, especially G. fasciatus; corrupted into c.o.c.k-a-bully (q.v.). See Mountain Trout.

1820. `Grammar and Vocabulary of Language of New Zealand'

(Church Missionary Society), p. 106:

"Kokopu. Name of a certain fish."

1886. R. A. Sherrin, `Fishes of New Zealand,' p. 138:

"`Kokopu,' Dr.Hector says, `is the general Maori name for several very common fishes in the New Zealand streams and lakes, belonging to the family of Galaxidae.'"

Kokowai, n. Maori name for Red Ochre, an oxide of iron deposited in certain rivers, used by the Maoris for painting. It was usually mixed with shark oil, but for very fine work with oil from the berries of the t.i.toki (q.v.).

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 124:

"His head, with the hair neatly arranged and copiously ornamented with feathers, reclined against a carved post, which was painted with kokowai, or red ochre."

1878. R. C. Barstow, `Transactions of New Zealand Inst.i.tute,'

vol. XI. art. iv. p. 75:

"Kokowai is a kind of pigment, burnt, dried, and mixed with shark-liver oil."

Konini, n. Maori name for (1) the fruit of the New Zealand fuchsia, Fuchsia excorticata, Linn.

(2) A settlers' name for the tree itself.

See Kotukutuku.

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 114:

"The berries of the konini ... ripening early furnish some part of its (bell-bird's) food supply."

(p. 146): "Rather late in August, when the brown-skinned konini begins to deck its bare sprays with pendulous flowers."

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 53:

"Mr. Colenso informs me that it [Fuchsia excorticata]

is the Kohutuhutu and the Kotukutuku of the Maoris, the fruit being known as Konini, especially in the South Island and the southern part of the North Island. The settlers sometimes term it Kotukutuku or Konini, but more generally fuchsia."

Kooberry, n. aboriginal name for the Bidyan Ruffe (q.v.).

Kookaburra, n. (also Gogobera and Goburra), the aboriginal name for the bird called the Laughing Jacka.s.s (q.v.). The first spelling is that under which the aboriginal name now survives in English, and is the name by which the bird is generally called in Sydney.

1862. H. C. Kendall, `Poems,' p. 123:

"And wild goburras laughed aloud Their merry morning songs."

1870. F. S. Wilson, `Australian Songs,' p. 167:

"The rude rough rhymes of the wild goburra's song."

1886. E. M. Curr, `Australian Race,' p. 29:

"The notes of this bird are chiefly composed of the sounds ka and koo, and from them it takes its name in most of the languages ... It is noticeable in some localities that burra is the common equivalent of people or tribe, and that the Pegulloburra ...

the Owanburra, and many other tribes, called the laughing- jacka.s.s--kakooburra, kakaburra, kakoburra, and so on; literally the Kakoo people." [Mr. Curr's etymology is not generally accepted.]

1890. `The Argus,' Oct. 25, p. 4, col 5:

"You might hear the last hoot of the kookaburra then."

1893. `Sydney Morning Herald,' Aug. 26, p. 5, col. 4:

"But what board will intervene to protect the disappearing marsupials, and native flora, the lyre-bird, the kookaburra, and other types which are rapidly disappearing despite the laws which have been framed in some instances for their protection?"

1894. E. P. Ramsay, `Catalogue of Australian Birds in the Australian Museum at Sydney,' p. 2, s.v. Dacelo:

"Gogobera, aborigines of New South Wales."

Koradji, or Coradgee, n. aboriginal name for a wise man, sorcerer, or doctor. In the south-east of New South Wales, it means one of the tribal wizards, usually called "blackfellow- doctors."

1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 14:

"The coradgees, who are their wise men, have, they suppose, the power of healing and foretelling. Each tribe possesses one of these learned pundits, and if their wisdom were in proportion to their age, they would indeed be Solons."

1865. S. Bennett, `Australian Discovery,' p. 250:

"Kiradjee, a doctor; Grk. cheirourgos. Persian, khoajih. English, surgeon. Old English (obsolete), chirurgeon."