Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake - Volume Ii Part 39
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Volume Ii Part 39

Here, however, it must not be concealed that the termination ka, or ga, occurs in other words, such as tenal-ga = laugh, tar-ga = cry, teiri-ga = walk, lamuni-ka = see. These, however, are verbs; and it is possible (indeed probable) that the k or g is the same as in the preceding substantives, just as the m in su-m, and ei-mi (Greek) is the m in meus, me, and eme (Greek). Still, this will not apply throughout; e.g. the words like lalli-ga = kangaroo, para-ka = flower, and others.

COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.

COLUMN 2: EASTERN TASMANIAN.

Eye : lepe-na Ear : pelverata.

Elbow : rowella Foot : langa-na Fist : trew Head : pathe-na-naddi Hair : cetha-na Hand : anama-na = nema-da, Brumer I.

Knee : nannabena-na.

Leg : lathana-ma Teeth : yan-na = yinge-da, Brierly I.

Tongue : me-na = mime-na, Brumer I.

Chin : came-na.

Neck : lepera.

Breast : wagley.

Here, the number of other words ending in na is very considerable; so considerable that, if it were not for the c.u.mulative evidence derived from other quarters, it would be doubtful whether the na could legitimately be considered as a possessive affix at all. It MAY, however, be so even in the present instance.

To these we may add two lists from the Lobo and Utanata dialects of the south-western coast of New Guinea.

COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.

COLUMN 2: UTANATA.

COLUMN 3: LOBO.

Arms : too : nima-ngo.

Back : urimi : rusuko-ngo.

Beard : - : minooro.

Belly : imauw : kanboro-ngo.

Breast, female : auw : gingo-ngo.

Breast, male : paiety : gingo-ngo Cheeks : awamu : wafiwirio-ngo.

Ears : ianie : -.

Eyebrows : - : matato-ngo-wuru.

Eyes : mame : matatoto-ngo.

Fingers : - : nima-ngo-sori.

Foot : mouw : kai-ngo.

Hands : toe-mare : nima-ngo-uta.

Hair : oeirie : mono-ng-furu.

Head : oepauw : mono-ngo or umum.

Knee : iripu : kai-ngo-woko.

Mouth : irie : orie-ngo.

Nose : birimboe : sikaio-ngo.

Neck : ema : gara-ng.

Tongue : mare : kario-ngo.

Thigh : ai : willanima.

Teeth : t.i.ti : riwoto-ngo.

Toes : - : nisora.

Finally, we have the long, and evidently compound forms of p** in the Corio, Colack, and other Australian dialects; long and evidently compound forms which no hypothesis so readily explains as that of the possessive adjunct; a phenomenon which future investigation many show to be equally Oceanic and American.

APPENDIX 4.

CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS OF THE NORTH-EAST COAST OF AUSTRALIA AND TORRES STRAIT.

Lists exhibiting the occurrence of Australian Birds in particular districts are instructive, as showing the range of species over the various parts of an extensive district, and as bearing upon, and to my mind confirming, to a certain extent, the views of those geologists who consider Australia to have formerly appeared as a cl.u.s.ter of three or four islands, subsequently connected since the tertiary epoch so as to form what may now be considered as a continent. With the kind a.s.sistance in determining the species of Mr. Gould, who has elsewhere published similar lists* of the birds of other parts of Australia, the annexed Catalogue has been made out. All the species contained therein have pa.s.sed under my own observation, and I have distributed them in three columns; the first includes that portion of the north-east coast of Australia and its islands included between the Tropic of Capricorn and lat.i.tude 17 degrees 45 minutes south, or the parallel of the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria; the second comprises the remainder of the north-east coast as far to the northward as Cape York; and the third is devoted to the islands of Torres Strait, from Raine Islet to Bramble Cay.

The species marked with an ? (query) are those which are probably local varieties, representatives of southern birds, showing slight differences in size, etc., yet not decided enough to be of specific value.

(*Footnote. In the works of Strzelecki and Eyre, and Introduction to the Birds of Australia. )

Ichthyaetus leucogaster 1 2 3.

Haliastur leucosternmus 1 2 3.

Pandion leucocephalus 1 2 3.

Falco frontatus 3.

Ieracidea berigora 2.

Astur novae hollandiae 1 3.

Astur approximans 1 2.

Accipiter torquatus 1 2 3.

Milvus affinis 1 2.

Circus jardinii 3.

Strix delicatula 1 2 3.

Athene b.o.o.book 1.

Athene maculata 1 2.

Podargus humeralis 1.

Podargus papuensis 2.

Podargus marmoratus 2.

Eurystopodus albogularis 2 3.

Eurystopodus guttatus 1 2 3.

Acanthylis caudacuta 2.

Cypselus australis 2 3.

Collocalia 1.

Chelidon arborea 1 3.

Merops ornatus 1 2 3.

Dacelo leachii 1 2.

Halcyon torotoro 2.

Halcyon sancta 1 2 3.

Halcyon sordida 1 2 3.

Halcyon macleayii 1 2 3.

Tanysiptera sylvia 2.

Alcyone azurea 2.

Alcyone pusilla 1 2.

Artamus leucopygialis 1 2 3.

Dicaeum hirundinaceum 1 2 3.

Cracticus nigrogularis 1 2.

Cracticus quoyii 1 2.

Grallina australis 2.

Grauculus melanops 1 2 3.

Grauculus hypoleucus 2.

Grauculus swainsonii 2.

Campephaga karu 1 2 3.