DATA AND NOTES. 219 



Tregear (Maori Comp. Diet. s. v. iveku) points out a probable inosculation 

 of roots in a series veku-veu-heu-heru-huru. It is to note that the oceanic 

 comb is not used to smooth the hair but, without disarranging the some- 

 what intricate coiffure, to scratch the scalp and vex its population. There 

 is nothing in Polynesian which sheds any light upon the /-/ mutation in 

 Niue, if indeed it be permissible to associate hetu with the selu stock. In 

 the dissection of the Melanesian material a very few instances are recorded 

 of l-t mutation, but they are so poorly supported as to afford little base 

 for the opinion that such a change has any real standing. 



EFATE-VITI-POLYNESIAN-SEMITIC. 



133- 

 bwase, bwasu, to break off with a snap or jerk. 



Samoa, Futuna, Niue, Tahiti, Paumotu : fati, to break, to break off 

 as twigs or pieces of wood. Fotuna, Tonga : faji, id. Nukuoro, 

 Rapanui: hati, id. Maori: whawhati, id. Hawaii: haki, id. 

 Mangareva: ati, id. Mangaia: aati, id. Marquesas : fati, 

 hati, id. 

 Viti: mbasuka, mbasuraka, to break. 

 Arabic : fas' s' a, to break off ; fassa, to detach, shiver off. 



There can be no doubt of identity in Efate and Viti, an identity which 

 holds in respect of each of the four root sounds. 



On the other hand we have substantial unity in Polynesia and the only 

 sound in which there is identity with Efate-Viti is the former vowel. We 

 have no supporting instance to establish a mutation of the series Polynesian 

 / Viti mb Efate bw or b, and little more for the mutation t-s. The identi- 

 fication is therefore, not cordially accepted. If the Polynesian fasi is 

 regarded as homogenetic with fati I do not look upon it as a t-s mutation 

 but rather regard fa as the stem modulated by each consonant in turn with 

 substantial sense agreement. 



134- 

 fira-ni, bifira, to supplicate, to pray. 



Futuna: pule, to pray. Tahiti, Hawaii, Rarotonga, Mangareva, 

 Paumotu: pure, to pray, worship, prayer. Maori: pure, to 



utter incantations to purify. 

 Viti : vibure, a temple, house for the gods. 

 Hebrew : fatal, to supplicate, to pray. 



135- 

 ngT, ngkl, ngiki, to creak, to squeak, to moan. 



Samoa : 'i, to cry, as a fly or a bird. Rapanui : hi, to say. Tonga, 

 Futuna: hi, kiki, to squeak, a sharp cry or squeal. Niue: 

 kikii, to squeak. Uvea: hi, a cry. Fotuna: noh-ki, to 



whistle (bird). 

 Viti: ngi, to squeak, to make a shrill noise. 

 Arabic: nakka, nakik', to creak. 



