Austral English Part 200

Silver P.-- Dacrydium colensoi, Hook.; i.q. Yellow Pine.

Stringy Bark P.-- Frenela parlatorei, F. v. M.

Toatoa P.-- Phyllocladus alpinus, Hook.; Maori name, Toatoa (q.v.).

White P.-- (In Australia)-- Frenela robusta, A. Cunn.

F. robusta (var. microcarpa), A. Cunn.

Podocarpus elata, R. Br.

(In New Zealand)-- P. dacryoides, A. Rich.; Maori name, Kahikatea (q.v.).

Yellow P.-- Dacrydium colensoi, Hook.; Maori name, Manoao (q.v.).

1832. J. Bischoff, `Van Diemen's Land,' p. 180:

"The Green Forest ... comprises myrtle, sa.s.safras, celery-top pine, with a little stringy-bark."

1838. T. L. Mitch.e.l.l, `Three Expeditions,' vol- i. p. 51.

"On the little hill beside the river hung pines (Callitris pyramidalis) in great abundance."

Piner, n. In Tasmania, a man employed in cutting Huon Pine.

1891. W. Tilley, `Wild West of Tasmania,' p. 43:

"The King River is only navigable for small craft ... Piners'

boats sometimes get in."

Pinkwood, n. a name for a Tasmanian wood of a pale reddish mahogany colour, Eucryphia billardieri, Sparrm., N.O. Saxifrageae,, and peculiar to Tasmania; also called Leatherwood; and for the Wallaby- bush, Beyera viscosa, Miq., N.O.

Euphorbiaceae, common to all the colonies of Australasia.

Piopio, n. Maori name for a thrush of New Zealand, Turnagra cra.s.sirostris, Gmel. See Thrush.

Pipe, n. an obsolete word, explained in quotations.

1836. Ross, `Hobart Town Almanack,' p. 105:

"These were the days of `pipes.' Certain supposed home truths ... were indited in clear and legible letters on a piece of paper which was then rolled up in the form of a pipe, and being held together by twisting at one end was found at the door of the person intended to be instructed on its first opening in the morning."

1852. J. West, `History of Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 107:

"Malice or humour in the early days expressed itself in what were called pipes--a ditty either taught by repet.i.tion or circulated on sc.r.a.ps of paper: the offences of official men were thus. .h.i.tched into rhyme. These pipes were a subst.i.tute for the newspaper, and the fear of satire checked the haughtiness of power."

Pipe-fish, n. common fishname. The species present in Australia and New Zealand is Ichthyocampus filum, Gunth., family Syngnathidae, or Pipe-fishes.

Piper, n. an Auckland name for the Garfish (q.v.). The name is applied to other fishes in the Northern Hemisphere.

1872. Hutton and Hector, `Fishes of New Zealand,' p. 118:

"Angling for garfish in Auckland Harbour, where it is known as the piper, is graphically described in `The Field,' London, Nov. 25, 1871.

... the pipers are `just awfu' cannibals,' and you will be often informed on Auckland wharf that `pipers is deeth on piper.'"

Pipi, n. Maori name of a sh.e.l.lfish, sometimes (erroneously) called the c.o.c.kle, Mezodesma novae-zelandiae.

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

(Church Missionary Society), p. 193:

"Pipi, s. a c.o.c.kle."

1881. J. L.Campbell, `Poenamo,' p. 107:

"With most deliciously cooked k.u.meras, potatoes and peppies"

[sic].

Ibid. p. 204:

"The dernier ressort--fern-root, flavoured with fish and pippies."

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p.25:

"Each female is busily employed in sc.r.a.ping the potatoes thoroughly with pipi-sh.e.l.ls."

Piping-Crow, n. name applied sometimes to the Magpie (q.v.).

1845. `Voyage to Port Phillip,' etc., p. 53:

"The warbling melops and the piping crow, The merry forest fill with joyous song."

Pipit, n. another name for Ground-Lark (q.v.).

Pitau, n. Maori name for the Tree-fern.

In Maori, the word means--(1) Soft, tender, young shoots. The verb pihi means "begin to grow"; pi means "young of birds," also "the flow of the tide." (2) Centre-fronds of a fern. (3) Name of a large fern.

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

p. 57:

"The pitau, or tree-ferns, growing like a palm-tree, form a distinguishing ornament of the New Zealand forest."

Pitchi, n. name given to a wooden receptacle hollowed out of a solid block of some tree, such as the Batswing Coral (Erythrina vespertio), or Mulga (Acacia aneura), and carried by native women in various parts of Australia for the purpose of collecting food in, such as gra.s.s seed or bulbs, and sometimes for carrying infants. The shape and size varies much, and the more concave ones are used for carrying water in. The origin of the word is obscure; some think it aboriginal, others think it a corruption of the English word pitcher.

1896. E. C. Stirling, `Home Expedition in Central Australia, Anthropology, pt. iv. p. 99:

"I do not know the origin of the name `Pitchi,' which is in general use by the whites of the parts traversed by the expedition, for the wooden vessels used for carrying food and water and, occasionally, infants."

Pitta, n. The name is Telugu for the Indian Ant-thrush; a few species are confined to Australia; they are--

Blue-breasted Pitta-- Pitta macklotii, Mull. and Schleg.