and parts of Australia.

<hw>Christmas</hw>, <i>n</i>. and <i>adj</i>. As Christmas
falls in Australasia at Midsummer, it has different
characteristics from those in England, and the word has
therefore a different connotation.

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' p. 184:

"Sheep-shearing in November, hot midsummer weather at
Christmas, the bed of a river the driest walk, and corn
harvest in February, were things strangely at variance
with my Old-World notions."

1896. H. Lawson, `When the World was Wide,' p. 164:

"One Christmas time when months of drought
Had parched the western creeks,
The bush-fires started in the north
And travelled south for weeks."

<hw>Christmas-bush</hw>, <i>n</i>. an Australian tree,
<i>Ceratopetalum gummiferum</i>, Smith,
<i>N.O. Saxifrageae</i>. Called also <i>Christmas-tree</i>
(q.v.), and <i>Officer-bush</i>.

1888. Mrs. McCann, `Poetical Works,' p. 226:

"Gorgeous tints adorn the Christmas bush with a crimson blush."

<hw>Christmas-tree</hw>, <i>n</i>. In Australia, it is the same
as <i>Christmas-bush</i> (q.v.). In New Zealand, it is
<i>Metrosideros tomentosa</i>, Banks, <i>N.O. Myrtaceae</i>;
Maori name, <i>Pohutukawa</i> (q.v.).

1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 240:

"Some few scattered Pohutukaua trees (<i>Metrosideros
tomentosa</i>), the last remains of the beautiful vegetation
. . . About Christmas these trees are full of charming purple
blossoms; the settler decorates his church and dwelling with
its lovely branches, and calls the tree `Christmas-tree'! "

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 186:

"The Christmas-tree is in a sense the counterpart of the holly
of the home countries. As the scarlet berry gives its ruddy
colour to Christmas decorations in `the old country,' so here
the creamy blossoms of the Christmas-tree are the only shrub
flowers that survive the blaze of midsummer."

1889. E. H. and S. Featon, `New Zealand Flora,' p. 163:

"The Pohutukawa blossoms in December, when its profusion of
elegant crimson-tasselled flowers imparts a beauty to the
rugged coast-line and sheltered bays which may fairly be called
enchanting. To the settlers it is known as the
`Christmas-tree,' and sprays of its foliage and flowers are
used to decorate churches and dwellings during the festive
Christmastide. To the Maoris this tree must possess a weird
significance, since it is related in their traditions that at
the extreme end of New Ze