412 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



when it is used. In common with our word "head," it is used 

 to express supremacy, prime authority. In the word "ma- 

 hunga " these ideas are absent, the main idea here is of hair — 

 the poll, in fact. " Matenga" is another word also meaning 

 head, and is used more frequently than " upoko" when speaking 

 of another person's head. The idea attached to this word is 

 not the same as that of either of the two other words. There 

 are several other words for the head — " angaanga," equiva- 

 lent to our "skull," "pane" or " panepanc," " pareho," 

 "wru"; and there are others answering to our jocular names 

 — " takataka," "noddle," &c. The mouth has also several 

 names, but each differing in signification. One Maori word for 

 mouth is " mangai," but here the presence of the dissyllabic 

 root " ngai," which is also found in the word " ivhangai" (to 

 feed), suggests the idea of the mouth as an eating-organ. 

 Another word for mouth is " luaha," which is also the root of 

 words signifying a door or opening, and carries with it the idea 

 of, and is appropriate as, designating the passage for words. 

 Hence, a " waliangu" is a dumb person, out of whose mouth 

 no words come. The Maori word for speech is " koixro," and 

 for the tongue " arero." " Beo " is the voice. The head of the 

 taiaha (Maori weapon), which is a protruding tongue, is said 

 to " purero," or protrude, as the tongue. " Purero " is also to 

 appear above the surface of water — to float after submersion. 

 " Korero" is thus seen to be a word cognate with the other 

 words "arero," " reo," and "purero," and to carry the idea 

 of that organ of speech which is also protruded as a defiance 

 from the mouth, and from the head of the taiaha. 



Once more : The word for leg and for foot is " waeivae." 

 Waivae is to divide, koivae also. Waenga, or wacnganui, is the 

 middle, or midway, between divided portions. Kauioae is the 

 lower jaw, where the face is divided. The root "ivae," present 

 in all these words, shows that the idea of division is common 

 to all, and that the idea in " ivacivae " is really the parting or 

 division of the body into two limbs. 



I fear that the remarks to which you have so kindly 

 listened this evening have been of such a discursive and 

 desultory character that I may have exhausted your patience 

 without exhausting or even doing justice to my subject. I 

 will therefore now close them with an apology for shortcom- 

 ings, and sincere thanks for your kind indulgence while per- 

 mitting me to occupy so much of your time and attention. 



