nce of Wool Trade,' p. 229:

"A land of musket and meri-armed warriors, unprovided with
a meat supply, even of kangaroo."

1889. Jessie Mackay, `The Spirit of the Rangatira,' p. 16:

"He brandished his greenstone mere high,
And shouted a Maori battle-cry."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. iii. p. 33:

"`No, no, my peg; I thrust it in with this meri,'
yells Maori Jack, brandishing his war-club."

<hw>Merinoes, Pure</hw>, <i>n</i>. a term often used,
especially in New South Wales, for the `very first families,'
as the pure merino is the most valuable sheep.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. i.
p. 116:

"Next we have the <i>legitimates</i> . . . such as have
<i>legal</i> reasons for visiting this colony; and the
<i>illegitimates</i>, or such as are free from that stigma.
The <i>pure merinos</i> are a variety of the latter species,
who pride themselves on being of the purest blood in the
colony."

<hw>Mersey Jolly-tail</hw>, <i>n</i>. See <i>Jolly-tail</i>.

<hw>Message-stick</hw>, <i>n</i>. The aboriginals sometimes
carve little blocks of wood with various marks to convey
messages. These are called by the whites,
<i>message-sticks</i>.

<hw>Messmate</hw>, <i>n</i>. name given to one of the
Gum-trees, <i>Eucalyptus amygdalina</i>, Labill., and often to
other species of Eucalypts, especially <i>E. obliqua</i>,
L'Herit. For origin of this curious name, see quotation, 1889.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 429:

"It is also known by the name of `Messmate,' because it is
allied to, or associated with, <i>Stringy-bark</i>. This is
probably the tallest tree on the globe, individuals having been
measured up to 400 ft., 410 ft., and in one case 420 ft., with
the length of the stem up to the first branch 295 ft. The
height of a tree at Mt. Baw Baw (Victoria) is quoted at 471
ft."

1890. `The Argus,' June 7, p. 13, col1. 4:

"Away to the north-east a wooded range of mountains rolls along
the skyline, ragged rents showing here and there where the dead
messmates and white gums rise like gaunt skeletons from the
dusky brown-green mass into which distance tones the bracken
and the underwood."

<hw>Mia-mia</hw>, <i>n</i>. an aboriginal hut. The word is
aboriginal, and has been spelt variously. <i>Mia-mia</i> is
the most approved spelling, <i>mi-mi</i> the most approved
pronunciation. See <i>Humpy</i>.

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 103:

"Th