yS KnBi.^, Aborigmal Plant Names. [v^."^xx^xiv. 



Tang nan. Hedge Hyssop, Gratiola Peruviana, Linnc, obviously 

 modern, but none the less interesting, comes from tang, edible. 

 Tang is in many words, as tung an eit, to eat ; tany a goon, 

 taste ; tang arr bea, taste ; tang ar be, feast ; tang er boon, 

 dinner ; taong gan, famine ; tang er borun, feed, &c., «&c. Nan 

 (nin) means above. The reference " edible above " is to a 

 portion of the Hedge Hyssop which has purgative properties. 



Pirn pat. Big Billy Buttons, Craspedia Richea, Cassini, and 

 Swamp Daisy, Brachycome cardiocarpa, F. von M., probably 

 comes from pirn, supple, pliable, as in be min (bem min), ring- 

 tailed possum, &c., &.C. Pat is difficult, and I can ascribe to 

 it no satisfactory meaning. 



Eep a eep (yep yep). Small-leaved Bramble, Rnbtts parvi- 

 folius, Linne, would at first sight excite suspicion, especially 

 as euep means sheep and eeup mutton. I have, however, little 

 doubt that it is geniune, and comes from a root, yep, to eat. 

 It is found in yepp ere (yep eurt), a small, sweet bulb ; qeeap, 

 food ; quee up, meat ; geerp, to introduce. The fruit of the 

 Small-leaved Bramble was eaten by the natives. 



Further research, especially into the bird names, will un- 

 doubtedly restrict the meanings assigned to several of the 

 syllables given here, and reveal others of poignant interest ; 

 but I feel sure that the general conclusions arrived at will be 

 found to be substantially correct. 



My thanks are due to Miss Beryl Major and Messrs. F. 

 Barnard and A. D. Hardy, who assisted me in various ways, and 

 also to the Herbarium, where I was permitted to inspect many 

 of the plants, shmbs, and trees mentioned in this paper. 



The " Home Gardener." — Most naturalists, whatever may 

 be their principal hobby, take some interest in plants, cither 

 in pots or in the open ground. In this new monthly i)apcr 

 something of interest outside strictly horticultural topics will 

 generally be found. In the July number Mr. E. E. Pescott, 

 F.L.S., gave some notes on the water requirements of pot 

 plants,' in which he detailed some experiments in growing plants 

 with a maximum amount of water, quite contrary to the 

 usually accepted ideas. He is, however, taken to task on the 

 subject in the current (August) issue. A lecture by Mr. F. 

 Pitcher, dealing with Victorian ])lants suitable for suburban 

 gardens, also running through the July and August numbers, 

 contains much information of a practical nature, in the way 

 of lists of ])lants grouped under about a dozen headings accord- 

 ing to their suitalnlity for various purposes or positions. A 

 large number of these are easily procurable at no great distance 

 from Melbfjurne. Some of them can also be successfully cul- 

 tivated as pot i)lants. 



