<hw>Major Mitchell</hw>, <i>n</i>. vernacular name of a species of Cockatoo, <i>Cacatua leadbeateri</i>, Vig. It was called after the explorer, Major (afterwards Sir Thomas) Mitchell, who was Surveyor- General of New South Wales. The cry of the bird was fancifully supposed to resemble his name. See <i>Leadbeater</i>.
<hw>Make a light</hw>, expressive pigeon-English. An aboriginal's phrase for to look for, to find. "You been make a light yarraman this morning?" i.e. Have you found or seen the horses this morning?
1859. H. Kingsley, `Geoffrey Hamlyn,' vol. ii. p. 185 [Footnote]:
"`Make a light,' in blackfellow's gibberish, means simply
`See.'"
<hw>Mako</hw>, <i>n</i>. originally <i>Makomako</i>. Maori name for a New Zealand tree, <i>Aristotelia racemosa</i>, Hook., <i>N.O. Tiliaceae</i>, often but incorrectly called Mokomoko.
1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand, p. 130:
"Mako, a small handsome tree, six to twenty feet high, quick-growing, with large racemes of reddish nodding flowers. Wood very light and white in colour."
<hw>Mako/2/</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for the <i>Tiger- Shark</i>. See <i>Shark</i>. The teeth of the Mako are used for ornaments by the Maoris.
<hw>Mallee</hw>, <i>n.</i> and <i>adj</i>. an aboriginal word. Any one of several scrubby species of Eucalyptus in the desert parts of South Australia and Victoria, especially <i>Eucalyptus dumosa</i>, Cunn., and <i>E. oleosa</i>, F. v. M., <i>N.O</i>. <i>Myrtaceae</i>. They are also called <i>Mallee Gums</i>. Accent on the first syllable. The word is much used as an adjective to denote the district in which the shrub grows, the "<i>Mallee District</i>," and this in late times is generally shortened into <i>The Mallee</i>. Compare "The Lakes" for the Lake-district of Cumberland. It then becomes used as an epithet of Railways, Boards, Farmers, or any matters connected with that district.
1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 73: