miro

n.

1) Maori name for a Robin (q.v.), and adopted as the scientific name of a genus of NewZealand Robins. The word is shortened form of Miro-miro.

1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui,' p. 403:

«Miro-miro ( Miro albifrons). A little black-and-whitebird with a large head; it is very tame, and has a shortmelancholy song. The miro toi-toi ( muscicapa toi-toi)is a bird not larger than the tom-tit. Its plumage is blackand white, having a white breast and some of the near feathersof each wing tinged with white.»

1879. W. Colenso, `Transactions of New Zealand Institute,'vol. xii. art. vii. p. 119:

«Proverb 28: Ma to kanohi miro-miro, [signifying] `To befound by the sharp-eyed little bird.' Lit. `For the miro-miro'seye.' Used as a stimulus to a person searching for anythinglost. The miro-miro is the little petroica toi-toi, which runsup and down trees peering for minute insects in the bark.»

1882. W. L. Buller, `Manual of the Birds of New Zealand,'p. 23:

«The Petroeca Iongipes is confined to the North Island, whereit is very common in all the wooded parts of the country; butit is represented in the South Island by a closely allied andequally common species, the miro albifrons.»

2) Maori name for a New Zealand tree, Podocarpusferruginea, Don., N.O. Coniferae; the Black-pineof Otago.

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 308:

«The miro-tree ( Podocarpus ferruginea) is found inslightly elevated situations in many of the forests in NewZealand. Height about sixty feet. The wood varies from lightto dark-brown in colour, is close in grain, moderately hard andheavy, planes up well, and takes a good polish.»

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 163:

«The Miro is a valuable tree, common in all parts of thecolony. . . . It is usually distinguished by its ordinarynative name.»