"Salltoprocta motacilloides, <i>Vig. and Horsf</i>. `Black and White Fantail.' `Water Wagtail.'. . . From this bird's habit of constantly swaying its lengthened tail feathers from side to side it is locally known in many districts as the `Willy Wagtail.'"
<hw>Wahine</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori word for a woman. The <i>i</i> is long.
1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i. p. 29:
"Having enquired how many (wives) the Kings of England had, he laughed heartily at finding they were not so well provided, and repeatedly counted `four wahine' (women) on his fingers."
1852. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes' (edition 1855), p. 289:
"A group of whyenees and piccaninnies."
1893. `Otago Witness,' Dec. 21, p. 11, col. 5:
"It is not fit that a daughter of the great tribe should be the slave-wife of the pakeha and the slave of the white wahine."
<hw>Waipiro</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for spirits,— literally, stinking water, from <i>piro</i>, stinking, and <i>wai</i>, water. In New Zealand geography, the word <i>Wai</i> is very common as the first part of many names of harbours, lakes, etc. Compare North-American Indian <i>Fire-water</i>.
1845. W. Brown, `New Zealand and its Inhabitants,' p. 132: