Austral English / A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia

by Edward Ellis Morris

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. ii. p. 286:

"The species of <i>Phormium tenax</i> thus cultivated is the tihore, literally the `skinning' flax. This name describes the ease with which it submits to the scraping process."

<hw>Tiki</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for the Creator of man, and thence taken to represent an ancestor. The Maoris made large wooden images to represent their <i>Tiki</i>, and gave the name of <i>Tiki</i> to these images. Later they were made in miniature in greenstone (q.v.), and used as neck ornaments. See <i>Heitiki</i>.

<hw>Tit</hw>, <i>n</i>. common English bird name. Applied in Australia to the following species—

Broad-tailed Tit—
<i>Acanthiza apicalis</i>, Gould.

Brown T.—
<i>A. pusilla</i>, Lath.

Buff T.—
<i>Geobasileus reguloides</i>, V. and H.

Chestnut-rumped T.—
<i>Acanthiza uropygialis</i>, Gould.

Little T.—
<i>A. nana</i>, Vig. and Hors.

Plain T.—
<i>A. inornata</i>, Gould.