Austral English Part 140

1884. Lady Martin, `Our Maoris,' p. 44:

"They might have said, as an old Maori woman long afterwards said to me, `Mother, my heart is like an old kete (i.e. a coa.r.s.ely-woven basket). The words go in, but they fall through.'"

Kite, n. common English bird-name. The species in Australia are--

Allied Kite-- Milvus affanis, Gould.

Black-shouldered K.-- Ela.n.u.s axillaris, Lath.

Letter-winged K.-- E. scriptus, Gould.

Square-tailed K.-- Lophoictinia isura, Gould.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 321:

"We had to guard it by turns, whip in hand, from a host of square-tailed kites (Milvus isiurus)."

1895. G. A. Keartland, `Horne Expedition in Central Australia,' Zoology, p. 55:

"At any stockyard or station pa.s.sed Kites were seen ... at Henbury one female bird was bold enough to come right into camp and pick up the flesh thrown to it from birds I was skinning."

Kiwi, n. Maori name for a wingless struthious bird of New Zealand, the Apteryx (q.v.), so called from the note of the bird. The species are--

Large Grey Kiwi (Roa roa, generally shortened to Roa, q.v.)-- Apteryx haastii, Potts.

Little Grey K.-- A. oweni, Gould.

North Island K.-- A. bulleri, Sharpe.

South Island K. (Tokoeka)-- A. australis, Shaw and Nodder.

See Buller, `Birds of New Zealand' (1888), vol. ii. p. 308.

1835. W. Yate, `Account of New Zealand,' p. 58:

"Kiwi--the most remarkable and curious bird in New Zealand."

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. vi. pl. 2:

"Apteryx Australis, Shaw, Kiwi kiwi."

[Australis here equals Southern, not Australian.]

1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 181:

"The Kiwi, however, is only the last and rather insignificant representative of the family of wingless birds that inhabited New Zealand in bygone ages."

1872. A. Domett, `Ranolf,' p. 232:

"'Twas nothing but that wing-less, tail-less bird, The kiwi."

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 35:

"The fact that one collector alone had killed and disposed of above 2000 specimens of the harmless kiwi."

1889. Professor Parker, `Catalogue of New Zealand Exhibition,'

p. 116:

"The Kiwi, although flightless, has a small but well-formed wing, provided with wing quills."

Knockabout, adj. a species of labourer employed on a station; applied to a man of all work on a station. Like Rouseabout (q.v.).

1876. W. Harcus, `Southern Australia,' p. 275:

"Knockabout hands, 17s. to 20S. per week."

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 80:

"They were composed chiefly of what is called in the bush `knockabout men'--that is, men who are willing to undertake any work, sometimes shepherding, sometimes making yards or driving."

1884. Rolf Boldrewood, `Melbourne Memories,' xvi. p. 118:

"I watched his development through various stages of colonial experience--into dairyman, knockabout man, bullock-driver, and finally stock-rider."

Knock-down, v. generally of a cheque. To spend riotously, usually in drink.

1869. Marcus Clarke, `Peripatetic Philosopher' (reprint), p. 80:

"Last night! went knocking round with Swizzleford and Rattlebrain. C'sino, and V'ri'tes. Such a lark! Stole two Red Boots and a Bra.s.s Hat. Knocked down thirteen notes, and went to bed as tight as a fly!"

1871. J. J. Simpson, `Recitations,' p. 9:

"Hundreds of diggers daily then were walking Melbourne town, With their pockets fill'd with gold, which they very soon knock'd down."

1882. A. J. Boyd, `Old Colonials,' p. 6:

"Cashed by the nearest publican, who of course never handed over a cent. A man was compelled to stay there and knock his cheque down `like a man'"

1885. H. Finch-Hatton,' Advance Australia,' p. 222:

"A system known as `knocking down one's cheque' prevails all over the unsettled parts of Australia. That is to say, a man with a cheque, or a sum of money in his possession, hands it over to the publican, and calls for drinks for himself and his friends, until the publican tells him he has drunk out his cheque."

1887. R. M. Praed, `Longleat of Kooralbyn,' c. xviii. p. 182:

"The illiterate shearer who knocks down his cheque in a spree."

Koala, Coola, or Kool-la, n. aboriginal name for Native Bear (q.v.); genus, Phascolarctus (q.v.). A variant of an aboriginal word meaning a big animal. In parts of South Australia koola means a kangaroo.