Austral English Part 204

17]7. Cook's' Voyage towards the South Pole and round the World' [2nd Voyage], vol. i. pp. 97, 98:

"Amongst the small birds I must not omit to particularise the wattlebird, poy-bird... . The poy-bird is less than the wattle-bird; the feathers of a fine mazarine blue, except those of its neck, which are of a most beautiful silver-grey... .

Under its throat hang two little tufts of curled snow-white feathers, called its poies, which being the Otaheitean word for ear-rings occasioned our giving that name to the bird, which is not more remarkable for the beauty of its plumage than for the sweetness of its note."

[In the ill.u.s.tration given it is spelt poe-bird, and in the list of plates it is spelt poi.]

1865. W. Howitt, `Discovery in Australia,' vol. i. p. 111:

"This bird they called the Wattlebird, and also the Poy-bird, from its having little tufts of curled hair under its throat, which they called poies, from the Otaheitan word for ear-rings.

The sweetness of this bird's note they described as extraordinary, and that its flesh was delicious, but that it was a shame to kill it."

Pohutukawa, n. Maori name for a magnificent New Zealand tree, Metrosideros tomentosa, A. Cunn., N.O. Myrtaceae, called Christmas-tree and Fire-tree by the settlers. There is a Maori verb, pohutu, to splash.

Kawa (n.) is a sprig of any kind used in religious ceremonies; the name would thus mean Splashed sprig.

The wood of the tree is very durable, and a concoction of the inner bark is useful in dysentery.

1835. W. Yate, `Some Account of New Zealand,' p. 46:

"Pohutukawa (Callistemon ellipticus). This is a tree of remarkably robust habits and diffuse irregular growth."

1855. G. Grey, `Polynesian Mythology,' p. 142:

"On arrival of Arawa canoe, the red flowers of the pohutakawa were subst.i.tuted for the red ornaments in the hair."

1862. `All the Year Round,' `From the Black Rocks on Friday,'

May 17, 1862, No. 160:

"In the clefts of the rocks were growing shrubs, with here and there the larger growth of a pohutukawa, a large crooked-limbed evergreen tree found in New Zealand, and bearing, about Christmas, a most beautiful crimson bloom. The boat-builders in New Zealand use the crooked limbs of this tree for the knees and elbows of their boats."

1873. `Catalogue of Vienna Exhibition':

"Pohutukawa for knees, ribs, and bent-pieces, invaluable to ship-builder. It surpa.s.ses English oak. Confined to Province of Auckland."

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 310:

"The pohutukawa-tree (Metrosideros tomentosa) requires an exposed situation ... is crooked, misshapen... .

The natives speak of it (the timber) as very durable."

1886. J. A. Fronde, `Oceana,' p. 308:

"Low down on the sh.o.r.e the graceful native Pokutukawa [sic] was left undisturbed, the finest of the Rata tribe--at a distance like an ilex, only larger than any ilex I ever saw, the branches twisted into the most fantastic shapes, stretching out till their weight bears them to the ground or to the water.

Pokutukawa, in Maori language, means `dipped in the sea-spray.'

In spring and summer it bears a brilliant crimson flower."

Pointers, n. two of the bullocks in a team.

See quotation.

1872. C. H. Eden, `My Wife and I in Queensland,' p. 36:

"Twelve bullocks is the usual number in a team, the two polers and the leaders being steady old stagers; the pair next to the pole are called the `pointers,' and are also required to be pretty steady, the remainder being called the `body bullocks,'

and it is not necessary to be so particular about their being thoroughly broken in."

Poison-berry Tree, n. Pittosporum phillyroides, De C., N.O. Pittosporeae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 588:

"b.u.t.ter-Bush of Northern Australia; Willow-Tree of York Peninsula; Native Willow, Poison-berry Tree (South Australia).

The berries are not poisonous--only bitter."

Poison-Bush, n. name given to a genus of poisonous Australian shrubs, Gastrolobium (q.v.).

Out of the thirty-three described species of the genus Gastrolobium, only one is found out of Western Australia; G. grandiflorum, F. v. M., is the poison-bush of the Queensland interior and of Central Australia. The name is also given to Swainsonia Greyana, Lindl., N.O. Leguminosae.

The Darling-Pea (q.v.), or Indigo-Plant (q.v.), has similar poisonous effects to the Gastrolobium.

These species of Gastrolobium go under the various names of Desert Poison-Bush, York-Road Poison-Bush, Wallflower; and the names of Ellangowan Poison-Bush (Queensland), and Dogswood Poison-Bush (New South Wales), are given to Myoporum deserti, A. Cunn., N.O. Myoporineae, while another plant, Trema aspera, Blume., N.O. Urticaceae, is called Peach-leaved Poison-Bush.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 129:

"These plants are dangerous to stock, and are hence called `Poison Bushes.' Large numbers of cattle are lost annually in Western Australia through eating them. The finest and strongest animals are the first victims; a difficulty of breathing is perceptible for a few minutes, when they stagger, drop down, and all is over with them... . It appears to be that the poison enters the circulation, and altogether stops the action of the lungs and heart."

Ibid. p. 141:

"This plant [S. greyana] is reported to cause madness, if not death itself, to horses. The poison seems to act on the brain, for animals affected by it refuse to cross even a small twig lying in their path, probably imagining it to be a great log. Sometimes the poor creatures attempt to climb trees, or commit other eccentricities."

Poison-Tree, or Poisonous Tree, n.

another name for the Milky Mangrove. See Mangrove.

The Scrub Poison-Tree is Exsaecaria dallachyana, Baill., N.O. Euphorbiaceae.

Pomegranate, Native, n. another name for the Caper-tree(q.v.).

Pomegranate, Small Native, n. another name for the Native Orange. See Orange.

Pongo, n. aboriginal name for the Flying-Squirrel (q.v.).

1888. Rolf Boldrewood, `Robbery under Arms,' p. 149:

"Then an old 'possum would sing out, or a black-furred flying-squirrel--pongos, the blacks call `em--would come sailing down from the top of an ironbark tree, with all his stern sails spread, as the sailors say, and into the branches of another, looking as big as an eagle-hawk."

Poor-Soldier, or Soldier-Bird (q.v.), n. another name for the Friar-bird (q.v.), and so named from its cry.

Poplar, n. In Queensland, a timber-tree, Carumbium populifolium, Reinw., N.O. Euphorbiaceae. In Central Australia, the Radish-tree (q.v.).

Poplar-Box, n. See Box.

Poplar-leaved Gum, n. See Gum.

Porangi, adj. Maori word for sad, sorry, or sick; cranky.

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