Austral English Part 134

1862. G. T. Lloyd, `Thirty-three Years in Tasmania and Victoria,' p. 36:

"Where are the genial morning dews of former days that used to glisten upon and bespangle the vernal-leaved kangaroo gra.s.s?"

1862. G. T. Lloyd, `Thirty-three Years in Tasmania,' p. 393:

"Between the Lake River and Launceston ... I was most agreeably surprised in beholding the novel sight of a s.p.a.cious enclosure of waving kangaroo gra.s.s, high and thick-standing as a good crop of oats, and evidently preserved for seed."

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 8:

"Not even a withered wisp of kangaroo-gra.s.s."

(p. 193):

"The long brown kangaroo-gra.s.s."

1891. `The Argus,' Dec. 19, p. 4, col. 2:

"Had they but pulled a tuft of the kangaroo-gra.s.s beneath their feet, they would have found gold at its roots."

Kangaroo-hop, n. a peculiar affected gait. See quotation.

1875. `Spectator' (Melbourne), May 22, p. 27, col. 2:

"The young lady that affects waterfalls, the Grecian-bend, or the kangaroo hop."

Kangaroo-Hound, n. i.q. Kangaroo-Dog (q.v.).

1865. Lady Barker, `Station Life in New Zealand,' p. 28:

"A large dog, a kangaroo-hound (not unlike a lurcher in appearance)."

Kangarooing, vb. n. hunting the kangaroo.

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' p. 257:

"In chasing kangaroos, or, as it is technically termed, `kangarooing,' large powerful dogs are used ..."

1870. E. B. Kennedy, `Four Years in Queensland,' p. 194:

"You may be out Kangarooing; the dogs take after one [a kangaroo], and it promises to be a good course."

1888. Rolf Boldrewood, `Robbery under Arms,' p. 15:

"We were sick of kangarooing, like the dogs themselves, that as they grew old would run a little way and then pull up if a mob came jump, jump, past them."

Kangaroo-Mouse, n. more strictly called the Pouched-Mouse (q.v.).

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 256:

"It is a long chain from the big forester, down through the different varieties of wallaby to the kangaroo-rat, and finally, to the tiny interesting little creature known on the plains as the `kangaroo-mouse'; but all have the same characteristics."

Kangaroo-net, n. net made by the natives to catch the kangaroo.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 45:

"I found ... four fine kangaroo-nets, made of the bark of sterculia."

Kangaroo-Rat, or Rat-Kangaroo, n.

the name applied to species of Marsupials belonging to the following genera, viz.--

(1) Potorous, (2) Caloprymnus, (3) Bettongia, (4) AEpyprymnus.

(1) The first genus (Potorous, q.v.) includes animals about the size of a large rat; according to Gould, although they stand much on their hind-legs they run in a totally different way to the kangaroo, using fore and hind-legs in a kind of gallop and never attempting to kick with the hind-feet.

The aboriginal name was Potoroo. The species are three--the Broad-faced Kangaroo-Rat, Potorous platyops, Gould; Gilbert's, P. gilberti, Gould; Common, P. tridactylus, Kerr. They are confined to Australia and Tasmania, and one Tasmanian variety of the last species is bigger than the mainland form. There is also a dwarf Tasmanian variety of the same species.

(2) A second genus (Caloprymnus, q.v.) includes the Plain Kangaroo-Rat; it has only one species, C. campestris, Gould, confined to South Australia.

The epithet plain refers to its inhabiting plains.

(3) A third genus (Bettongia, q.v.) includes the Prehensile-tailed Rat-Kangaroos and has four species, distributed in Australia and Tasmania--

Brush-tailed Kangaroo-Rat-- Bettongia penicillata, Gray.

Gaimard's K.-R.-- B. gaimardi, Desm.

Lesueur's K.-R.-- B. lesueuri, Quoy and Gaim.

Tasmanian K.-R.-- B. cuniculus, Ogilby.

(4) A fourth genus (AEpyprymnus, q.v.) includes the Rufous Kangaroo-Rat. It has one species, AE. rufescens, Grey. It is the largest of the Kangaroo-Rats and is distinguished by its ruddy colour, black-backed ears, and hairy nose.

[Mr. Lydekker proposes to call the animal the Rat- Kangaroo (see quotation, 1894), but the name Kangaroo- Rat is now so well-established that it does not seem possible to supersede it by the, perhaps, more correct name of Rat-Kangaroo. The introduction of the word Kangaroo prevents any possibility of confusion between this animal and the true rodent, and it would seem to be a matter of indifference as to which word precedes or follows the other.]

1788. Governor Phillip (Despatch, May 15), in `Historical Records of New South Wales,' vol. I. pt. ii. p. 135:

"Many trees were seen with holes that had been enlarged by the natives to get at the animal, either the squirrel, kangaroo rat, or opossum, for the going in of which perhaps they wait under their temporary huts, and as the enlarging these holes could only be done with the sh.e.l.l they used to separate the oysters from the rocks, must require great patience."

1793 Governor Hunter, `Voyage,' p. 61:

"As most of the large trees are hollow by being rotten in the heart, the opossum, kangaroo-rat, squirrel, and various other animals which inhabit the woods, when they are pursued, commonly run into the hollow of a tree."

1802. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,' c. xi.

p. 430:

"The poto roo, or kangaroo-rat... . This curious animal which is indeed a miniature of the Kangaroo."

1832. J. Bischoff, `Van Diemen's Land,' c. ii. p. 28:

"The kangaroo-rat is a small inoffensive animal and perfectly distinct from the ordinary species of rat."