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

"Flying for a moment beside a lovely, melodious <i>top-knot pigeon</i>."

<hw>Torea</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for all the New Zealand species of the <i>Oyster-catchers</i> (q.v.).

<hw>Torpedo</hw>, <i>n</i>. a fish, well known elsewhere, and also called elsewhere, the <i>Numb-fish</i> and <i>Cramp fish</i>. For the Australian species, see quotation.

1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish of New South Wales,' p. 100:

"Our Torpedo or Electric Ray is <i>Hypnos subnigrum</i>, that of Tasmania is <i>Narcine Tasmaniensis</i>."

<hw>Torres-Straits Pigeon</hw>, <i>n</i>. See quotation.

1893. Saville Kent, `Great Barrier Reef,' p. 123:

"Making a bag of the famous Torres Straits pigeons (<i>Myristicivora spilorrhoa</i>), a large white variety, highly esteemed for the table, which, arriving from the north [that is New Guinea], is distributed from October until the end of March throughout the tree-bearing islets and mainland coast, as far south as Keppel Bay."

<hw>Tortoise-shell Fish</hw>. See <i>Hand-fish</i>.

<hw>Totara</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for a lofty-spreading New Zealand tree, <i>Podocarpus totara</i>, A. Cunn., <i>N.O. Coniferae</i>,. In Maori, the accent falls on the first syllable; but in English use it is often placed on the second, and from Mr. Polack's spelling it must have been so as early as 1840. Called also <i>Mahogany-pine</i>. There are several other species, e.g. <i>P. vivalis</i>, Hook., the <i>Mountain Totara</i>; called also <i>Mahogany Pine</i>. See <i>Mahogany</i>, and <i>Pine</i>.