Austral English Part 157

"Mallee Selections at Horsham. A special Mallee Board, consisting of Mr. Hayes, head of the Mallee branch of the Lands Department, and Mr. Porter."

1893. `The Argus,' April 24, p. 7, col. 5:

"In the Mallee country there is abundance of work, cutting down mallee, picking up dead wood, rabbit destruction, etc.

1893. A. R. Wallace, `Australasia,' vol. i. p. 46:

"One of the most common terms used by explorers is `Mallee'

scrub, so called from its being composed of dwarf species of Eucalyptus, called `Mallee' by the natives. The species that forms the `mallee' scrub of South Australia is the Eucalyptus dumosa, and it is probable that allied species receive the same name in other parts of the country."

1897. `The Argus,' March 2, p. 7, col. 1:

"The late Baron von Mueller was firmly convinced that it would pay well in this colony, and especially in the mallee, to manufacture potash."

Mallee-bird, n. an Australian bird, Leipoa ocellata, Gould. Aboriginal name, the Lowan (q.v.); see Turkey.

Mallee-fowl, n. Same as Mallee-bird (q.v.).

Mallee-hen, n. Same as Mallee-bird (q.v.).

1890. `Victorian Statutes-Game Act, Third Schedule':

[Close Season.] "Mallee-hen, from 1st day of August to the 20th day of December next following in each year."

1895. `The Australasian,' Oct.5, p. 652, col. 1:

". . . the economy of the lowan or mallee-hen... . It does not incubate its eggs after the manner of other birds, but deposits them in a large mound of sand ... Shy and timid.

Inhabits dry and scrubs. In shape and size resembles a greyish mottled domestic turkey, but is smaller, more compact and stouter in the legs."

Mallee-scrub, n. the "scrub," or thicket, formed by the Mallee (q.v.).

1893. A. R. Wallace, `Australasia,' vol. i. p. 22:

"The flat and, rarely, hilly plains ... are covered chiefly with thickets and `scrub' of social plants, generally with hard and p.r.i.c.kly leaves. This `scrub,' which is quite a feature of the Australian interior, is chiefly formed of a bushy Eucalyptus, which grows somewhat like our osiers to a height of 8 or 10 feet, and often so densely covers the ground as to be quite impenetrable. This is the `Mallee scrub' of the explorers; while the still more dreaded `Mulga scrub'

consists of species of p.r.i.c.kly acacia, which tear the clothes and wound the flesh of the traveller."

Malurus, n. the scientific name for a genus of Australian warblers. Name reduced from Malacurus, from the Grk. malakos, soft, and 'oura, a tail. The type-species is Malurus cyaneus of Australia, the Superb Warbler or Blue-Wren. See Superb Warbler, Wren, and Emu-Wren. All the Maluri, of which there are fifteen or sixteen species, are popularly known as Superb Warblers, but are more correctly called Wrens.

1896. F. G. Aflalo, `Natural History of Australia,' p. 136:

"The Wrens and Warblers--chiefly Maluri, with the allied Amytis and Stipiturus--are purely Australian. They are feeble on the wing but swift of foot."

Mana, n. a Maori word for power, influence, right, authority, prestige. See chapter on Mana, in `Old New Zealand' (1863), by Judge Maning.

1843. E. Dieffenbach, `Travels in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 371:

"Mana--command, authority, power."

1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui,' p. 279:

"The natives feel that with the land their `mana,' or power, has gone likewise; few therefore can now be induced to part with land."

1863. F. E. Maning (Pakeha Maori), `Old New Zealand,' Intro.

p. iii:

"The Maoris of my tribe used to come and ask me which had the greatest `mana' (i.e. fortune, prestige, power, strength), the Protestant G.o.d or the Romanist one."

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

G. i, B. p. 8:

"The Government should be asked to recognize his mana over that territory."

1881. J. L.Campbell, `Poenamo,' p. 166:

"We should be glad to shelter ourselves under the mana-- the protection--of good old Kanini."

1892. `Otago Witness,' Dec 22, p. 7, col. 1:

"A man of great lineage whose personal mana was undisputed."

1896. `New Zealand Herald,' Feb. 14 [Leading Article]:

"The word `mana,' power, or influence, may be said to be cla.s.sical, as there were learned discussions about its precise meaning in the early dispatches and State papers. It may be said that misunderstanding about what mana meant caused the war at Taranaki."

Mangaroo, n. aboriginal name for a small flying phalanger with exquisitely fine fur.

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. ii.

p. 217:

"Descending from the branches of an ironbark tree beside him, a beautiful little mangaroo floated downwards on out-stretched wings to the foot of a sapling at a little distance away, and nimbly ascending it was followed by his mate."

Mangi, or Mangeao, n. Maori name for a New Zealand tree, Litsea calicaris, Benth. and Hook. f.

1873. `Catalogue of Vienna Exhibition':

"Mangi--remarkably tough and compact, used for ship-blocks and similar purposes."

Mango, n. Maori name for the Dog-fish (q.v.), a species of shark.

Mangrove, n. The name is applied to trees belonging to different natural orders, common in all tropical regions and chiefly littoral. Species of these, Rhizoph.o.r.ea mucronata, Lamb, and Avicennia officinalis, Linn., are common in Australia; the latter is also found in New Zealand.

Bruguiera rheedii, of the N.O. Rhizoph.o.r.eae, is called in Australia Red Mangrove, and the same vernacular name is applied to Heritiera littoralis, Dryand., N.O. Sterculiaceae, the Sundri of India and the Looking-gla.s.s Tree of English gardeners.

The name Milky Mangrove is given, in Australia, to Excaecaria agallocha, Linn., N.O. Euphorbiaceae, which further goes by the names of River Poisonous Tree and Blind-your-Eyes--names alluding to the poisonous juice of the stem.

The name River Mangrove is applied to AEgiceras majus, Gaertn., N.O. Myrsineae, which is not endemic in Australia.

In Tasmania, Native Mangrove is another name for the b.o.o.bialla (q.v.)