"Watching the Porcupine-grass ants, which are very small and
black bodies with yellowish feet, I saw them constantly running
in and out of these chambers, and on opening the latter found
that they were always built over two or more Coccidae attached
to the leaf of the grass."

<hw>Porcupine-Parrot</hw>, <i>n</i>. See quotation.

1896. G. A. Keartland, `Report of the Horne Expedition in
Central Australia,' Part ii. Zoology, <i>Aves</i>, p. 107:

"Geopsittacus occidentalis. Western Ground Parrakeet. . . .
As they frequent the dense porcupine grass, in which they
hide during the day, a good dog is necessary to find them.
They are locally known as the `Porcupine Parrot.'"

<hw>Poroporo</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for the flowering
shrub <i>Solanum aviculare</i>, Forst.; called in Australia,
<i>Kangaroo Apple</i>. Corrupted into <i>Bullybul</i>
(q.v.). /See, rather, Bull-a-bull/

1857. C. Hursthouse, `New Zealand, the Britain of the South,
p. 136:

"The poroporo, the nicest or least nasty of the wild fruits, is
a sodden strawberry flavoured with apple-peel; but if rashly
tasted an hour before it is ripe, the poroporo is an alum pill
flavoured with strychnine."

1880. W. Colenso, `Transactions New Zealand Institute,'
vol. xiii. art. i. p. 32:

"The large berry of the poro-poro (<i>Solanum aviculare</i>)
was also eaten; it is about the size of a small plum, and when
ripe it is not unpleasant eating, before it is ripe it is very
acrid. This fruit was commonly used by the early colonists in
the neighbourhood of Wellington in making jam."

<hw>Porphyrio</hw>, <i>n</i>. the Sultana-bird, or Sultana.
The bird exists elsewhere. In Australia it is generally called
the <i>Swamp-Hen</i> (q.v.).

1875. A. Domett, `Ranolf,' p. 213:

"The crimson-billed porphyrio, that jerking struts
Among the cool thick rushes."

1890. `Victorian Statutes-the Game Act' (Third Schedule):

[Close Season.] ". . . Land-rail, all other members of the
Rail family, Porphyrio, Coots, &c. From the First day of
August to the Twentieth day of December following."

<hw>Port-Arthur Plum</hw>. See <i>Plum, Native</i>.

<hw>Port-Jackson Fig</hw>, <i>n</i>. See <i>Fig</i>.

<hw>Port-Jackson Shark</hw>, <i>Heterodontus phillipii</i>,
Lacep., family <i>Cestraciontidae</i>; called also the
<i>Shell-grinder</i>.

1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish of New South Wales,'
p. 10:

"The <i>Cestracion</i> or Port Jackson shark
(<i>He