■''I^Pj''] Keble, Aboriginal Plant Names. 69 



reference to the conspicuous long petals (more than three 

 inches long — Pescott) in some specimens, which greatly enhance 

 the orchid's beauty. It is significant that, although the tuber 

 was eaten, and undoubtedly provided an inviting morsel, the 

 blackfelJow allowed his appreciation of the fantastic to over- 

 come his utilitarian tendencies. He did not, as in mern derrt, 

 refer to it as growing " below the ground," or, as in nan gert, 

 " above the ground." 



In bur urn kul will (ber rum kul wil), a word warranting 

 extended comment, kul means a wound, thrust, or gash. A 

 leaf only was forwarded for identification, yet it is obvious that 

 the unknown plant was used as an astringent or scarifier. Ber 

 means to encircle, to move from side to side, backwards and 

 forwards, heave, throb, or any dtauble or circular motion ; it 

 was at first probably an articulate sound, identified with the 

 motions of the kur ruk or spear thrower, or the throwing of 

 the boomerang. Compare ber ring, bosom (to throb), palm 

 of the hand (to grasp) ; bur dan, knee-cap ; ber pip, eagle 

 (soar) ; ber buk, belt round the stomach to keep ofi hunger ; 

 til bur nine, apron made of emu feathers ; burn nar look, 

 blackwood, and hiir gan (bur gan), Kunzea peduncular is, 

 F. von M., two woods used for the kud ger ong, or club or 

 waddy ; yeam berrn, a club ; bur gon eit, to spea.v-»-i.e., with 

 the kur ruk ; barn geet (ber rum eurt), the war boomerang. 

 A pertinent use of ber is in burny burny, Leopard Orchid, Diuris 

 maculala. Smith, the tuber of which was eaten. In this name 

 it means " side by side " or "double," as in the Greek generic 

 name Diuris, double-tailed — a reference to the opposite, long, 

 narrow, tail-shaped sepals. The remaining syllables in bur um 

 kul will arc rum, which means to make healthy, and will, bark, 

 a covering, protection, as in wil lum, a miam or shelter made 

 of bark ; yel lert bee (wil eurt be), to cover, hide, deposit, 

 screen (note the association between this and the preceding 

 comparison) ; wal ler wal lert, possum rug ; yel ler ne bre, a 

 blanket ; wyl gul ter, wide, &c., &c. The bur um kul will was 

 one of several plants known to the medicine man (wer re rup), 

 who " scarified to make healthy a wound with bark or fibre 

 (wee reep)." 



The kal ert i wan. Hazel Pomaderris, Pomaderris apetala, 

 Labill., comes from kal, a point or blade ; ert, tree ; wan {cf. 

 yang, to throw), from, and may be translated " wood for 

 spear." The i has been drawn by ert and wan. Bur gil bur gil 

 (ber kul ber kul), Green Ground Berry, Acrotriche serrulata, 

 Labill. — from ber, to scarify ; kul, a wound — would suggest that 

 this plant has a febrifugal or astringent value. The pan ar yle 

 (parn kul), River Mint, Mentha australis, K. Brown, comes 

 from parn, water, and kul, a wound. The natives had doubt- 



