Austral English Part 108

"Rev. Mr. Chapman received me at his garden gate with a hearty welcome, the natives shouted their friendly `haeremai,' and ere long we were all in comfortable shelter beneath the missionary's roof."

1883. F. S. Renwick, `Betrayed,' p. 34:

"Haire mai ho! 'tis the welcome song Rings far on the summer air."

Hair-trigger, n. a Tasmanian name for any plant of genus Stylidium. Called also Trigger-plant, and Jack in a Box (q.v.).

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. ii. p. 71:

"The Stylidium, or as we named it, the `Hair-trigger,'

is common all over the colony."

Haka, n. Maori word for a dance.

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' p. 198:

"A haka was now performed by about one hundred and fifty men and women. They seated themselves in ranks in one of the courtyards of the pa, stripped to the waist. An old chieftainess, who moved along the ranks with regular steps, brandis.h.i.+ng an ornamental spear in time to her movements, now recited the first verse of a song in a monotonous, dirge-like measure. This was joined in by the others, who also kept time by quivering their hands and arms, nodding their heads and bending their bodies in accordance with each emphasis and pause."

1852. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes,' c. xvi. p. 409 (3rd ed.

1855):

"I witnessed a national spectacle which was new to me--a sort of incantation performed by women alone--the haka, I think it is called."

1872. A.Domett, `Ranolf,' XV. c. vi. p. 242:

"The haka-dances, where she shone supreme."

1873. `Appendix to Journal of House of Representatives,' G. I, B., p. 8:

"Thursday was pa.s.sed by them [the natives] in feasting and hakas."

1883. F. S. Renwick, `Betrayed,' p. 34:

"A rus.h.i.+ng throng in the furious haka share."

1896. `Otago Witness,' Jan. 23, p. 50, col. 5:

"He also received a visit from three or four hostile natives, who, with blood-curdling yells, duly performed the indispensable haka."

Hakea, n. the scientific name given, in honour of Baron Hake of Hanover, to "a large Australian genus of plants belonging to the follicular section of the Proteaceae, tribe Grevilleae, and distinguished from Grevillea by its axillary inflorescence and samaroid seeds. The species, nearly 100 in number [Maiden's index to `Useful Native Plants' gives sixteen], are all evergreen shrubs, or small trees, with alternate coriaceous, variously lobed, often spiny leaves. They are ornamental in cultivation, and several have acquired special names--H. ulicina, Native Furze; H. laurina, Cus.h.i.+on-flower; H. acicularis (Lissosperma), Native Pear; H. flexilis, Twine-bush." (`Century.')

1877. F. v. Muller, `Botanic Teachings,' p. 50:

"Proteaceae are more extensively still represented in Victoria by the well known genera Grevillea and Hakea, the former dedicated to the Right Hon. C. F. Greville, of Paddington, the latter genus named in honour of Baron Hake, of Hanover, both having been alike patrons of horticulture at the end of the last century."

1897. `The Australasian,' Jan. 30, p. 226, col. 3:

"Recently, according to `Nature,' Mr. G. M. Thomson, an eminent authority on New Zealand botany, has shown that one of the genera, namely Hakea, though absent at present from the islands [of New Zealand], formerly existed there. Plant remains were found at St. Bathans, in a bed of clay, which have been identified by him as Hakea. The question of the identification of fossil plants is always a difficult one, but as Mr. Thomson announces that he has obtained fruit capsules and leaves there can be but little doubt as to the correctness of his determinations. Hitherto the genus has been regarded as Australian only, and about 100 species are known, of which no less than 65 are West Australian. It would seem then that the Hakeas had obtained a footing in Eastern Australia before the connection with New Zealand had disappeared, and that probably the genus is a far older one than had been antic.i.p.ated. Why, after finding its way to New Zealand, it should have died out there is a question to which no answer can as yet be supplied."

Hand-fish, n. a Tasmanian fish, Brachionichthys hirsutus, Lacep., family Pediculati. The name is used in the northern hemisphere for a different fish, which is also called there the Frog-fish and Toad-fish. The name arises from a fancied resemblance of the profile of the fish to a human hand.

It is also called Frog-fish and Tortoise-sh.e.l.l fish. Mrs. Meredith calls it Tortoise-sh.e.l.l Fish from its colour, when figuring it in `Tasmanian Friends and Foes' under its former scientific name of Cheironectes Politus. The surface of its skin is hirsute with minute spines, and the lobe at the end of the detached filament of the dorsal fin--called the fintacle--hangs loose. The scientific names of the genus are derived from Grk. brachiown, "the arm," and cheir, "the hand." The armlike pectoral fins are used for holding on to stones or seaweed.

1850. `Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land,' Jan. 9, vol. i. p. 268:

"A little spotted fish belonging to the genus Chironectes ... Mr. Champ writes thus respecting the frog fish:-- `It was found in the sea at Port Arthur by a person who was with me, and when caught had all the appearance of having four legs, from the position and shape of the fins; the two longest of which, from the sort of elbow in them, and the division into (rays) what resemble fingers, seem to form a connecting link between fins and legs or arms.'"

1880. Mrs.'Meredith, `Tasmanian Friends and Foes,' p. 249:

"It has fins like feet; one small pair where pectoral fins usually are, and a larger pair, with absolute elbows to them, and apparently shoulder-blades too, only those do not belong to the fore pair of feet! A very antipodean arrangement truly!

The markings on the body and on the delicate pellucid fins are like tortoise-sh.e.l.l."

Hand, Old, n. one who has been a convict.

1861. T. McCombie, `Australian Sketches,' p. 141:

"The men who have been convicts are termed `old hands'; they are mostly rude, rough men, with no moral principle or religious feeling, and who have little sympathy for humanity."

1865. J. O. Tucker, `Australian Story,' c. i. p. 85:

"Reformed convicts, or, in the language of their proverbial cant, `old hands.'"

1865. F. H. Nixon, `Peter Perfume,' p. 102:

"`Boshman' in the old-hand vernacular signifies a fiddler."

["Bosh in gypsy means music and also violin." -Barrere and Leland.]

1885. J. Rae, `Chirps by an Australian Sparrow,' p. 99:

"The old hands were quite tidy too With hats of cabbage-tree."

Hang up, v. to tie up a horse.

1860. W. Kelly, `Life in Victoria,' p. 49 [Footnote]:

"In Melbourne there are posts sunk in the ground almost opposite every door... . Fastening your horse to one of these posts is called `hanging him up.'"

1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia,' p. 32:

"We got off, hung our horses up to a tree."

1890. E. W. Hornung, `Bride from the Bush,' p. 296:

"The mail-boy is waiting impatiently in the verandah, with his horse `hung up' to one of the posts."

Hapalote, n. Anglicized form of Hapalotis (Grk. hapalos, soft, and 'ous, 'owtis) ear), a peculiar Australian genus of rodents of the mouse family.

They are called Jumping Mice, and have soft ears, and enlarged hind limbs like the jerboa, but are not marsupial like the kangaroo. There are many species.

Hapu, n. Maori word for sub-tribe; sometimes even, family.