Austral English Part 133

1834. Miss Edgeworth, `Helen,' c. xvi. (`Century'):

"It was neither a lounger nor a dormeuse, nor a Cooper, nor a Nelson, nor a Kangaroo: a chair without a name would never do; in all things fashionable a name is more than half. Such a happy name as Kangaroo Lady Cecilia despaired of finding."

Kangarooade, n. a Kangaroo hunt; nonce word.

See quotation.

1863. M. K. Beveridge, `Gatherings among the Gum Trees,'

p. 86:

"The Kangarooade--in three Spirts."

[t.i.tle of a poem.]

Kangaroo-Apple, n. an Australian and Tasmanian fruit, Solanum aviculare, Forst., N.O.

Solanaceae. The name is also applied to S. vesc.u.m, called the Gunyang (q.v.). In New Zealand, the fruit is called Poroporo (q.v.).

1834. Ross, `Van Diemen's Land Annual, p. 133:

`Solanum laciniatum, the kangaroo-apple, resembling the apple of a potato; when so ripe as to split, it has a mealy sub-acid taste."

1846. G. H. Haydon, `Five Years in Australia Felix,' p. 85:

"The kangaroo-apple (Solanum laciniatum) is a fine shrub found in many parts of the country, bearing a pretty blue flower and a fruit rather unpleasant to the taste, although frequently eaten by the natives, and also by Europeans."

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 132:

"The kangaroo-apple comes from a bush or small tree bearing blue blossoms, which are succeeded by apples like those of the potato. They have a sweetish flavour, and when ripe may be boiled and eaten, but are not greatly prized."

1857. F. R. Nixon (Bishop), `Cruise of Beacon,' p. 28:

"Of berries and fruits of which they partook, the princ.i.p.al were those of Solanum laciniatum, or kangaroo-apple, when dead ripe."

1877. F. v. Mueller, `Botanic Teachings,' p. 105:

"Solanum aviculare, on which our colonists have very inappropriately bestowed the name Kangaroo-apple, while in literal scientific translation it ought to be called Bird's Nightshade, because Captain Cook's companions observed in New Zealand that birds were feeding on the berries of this bush."

Kangaroo-Dog, n. a large dog, lurcher, deerhound, or greyhound, used for hunting the Kangaroo.

1806. `History of New South Wales' (1818), p. 265:

"Shortly before the Estramina left the River Derwent, two men unfortunately perished by a whale-boat upsetting, in which they were transporting four valuable kangaroo-dogs to the opposite side, none of which ever reached the sh.o.r.e."

1830. R. Dawson, `Present State of Australia,' p. 141:

"The kind of dog used for coursing the kangaroo is generally a cross between the greyhound and the mastiff or sheep-dog; but in a climate like New South Wales they have, to use the common phrase, too much lumber about them. The true bred greyhound is the most useful dog: he has more wind; he ascends the hills with more ease; and will run double the number of courses in a day. He has more bottom in running, and if he has less ferocity when he comes up with an `old man,' so much the better, as he exposes himself the less, and lives to afford sport another day."

1832. J. Bischoff, `Van Diemen's Land,' c. ii. p. 31:

"They ... are sometimes caught by the kangaroo-dogs."

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 126:

"A fine kangaroo-dog was pointed out to us, so fond of kangarooing that it goes out alone, kills the game, and then fetches its master to the dead animals."

1847. J. D. Lang, `Cooksland,' p. 422:

"With the gun over his shoulder, and the kangaroo-dog in a leash by his side."

1850. J. B. Clutterbuck, `Port Phillip in 1849,' c. iii.

p. 35:

"On every station, also, a large kind of greyhound, a cross of the Scotch greyhound and English bulldog, called the kangaroo-dog, which runs by sight, is kept for the purpose of their destruction."

1888. Ca.s.sell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. ii. p. 91:

"Kangaroo-dogs are a special breed, a kind of strong greyhound."

1893. `The Argus,' April 8, p. 4, col. 1:

"That big, powerful, black kangaroo-dog Marmarah was well worth looking at, with his broad, deep chest, intelligent, determined eyes, sinews of a gymnast, and ribs like Damascus steel. On his black skin he bore marks of many honourable fights; the near side showed a long, whitish line where the big emu he had run down, tackled single-handed, and finally killed, had laid him open. His chest and legs showed numerous grey scars, each with a history of its own of which he might well be proud."

Kangaroo-Fly, n. a small Australian fly, Cabarus. See quotations.

1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' vol. I. c. ii. p. 71:

"Our camp was infested by the kangaroo-fly, which settled upon us in thousands."

1865. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `History of the Discovery and Exploration of Australia,' vol. i. p. 313 [Note]:

"Rather smaller than the house-fly, it acts with such celerity that it has no sooner settled on the face or hands than it inflicts instantaneously a painful wound, which often bleeds subsequently. It is called by the colonists the kangaroo-fly; and though not very common, the author can testify that it is one of the most annoying pests of Australia."

Kangaroo-Gra.s.s, n. a name given to several species of gra.s.ses of the genera Anthistiria and Andropogon, chiefly from their height, but also because, when they are young and green in spring, the Kangaroo feeds on them. Andropogon is more like a rush or sedge, and is sometimes so high as to completely conceal horses. See Gra.s.s.

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

p. 209:

"Of native gra.s.ses we possess the oat-gra.s.s, rye-gra.s.s, fiorin, kangaroo-gra.s.s, and timothy,--blady gra.s.s growing in wet, flooded, alluvial spots, and wire-gra.s.s upon cold, wet, washed clays."

1838. `Report of Van Diemen's Land Company,' in J. Bischoff's `Van Diemen's Land' (1832), c. v. p. 119:

"The gra.s.ses were princ.i.p.ally timothy, foxtail, and single kangaroo."

1845. T. L. Mitch.e.l.l, `Tropical Australia, p. 88:

"A new species of Anthistiria occurred here, perfectly distinct from the kangaroo gra.s.s of the colony."

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 131:

"The most conspicuous of the native Gramineae that so widely cover the surface of Australia Felix."