Austral English Part 65

1890. `The Argus,' Aug. 9, p. 4, col. 2:

"When I told them of my `dart,' some were contemptuous, others incredulous."

1892. Rolf Boldrewood, `Nevermore,' p. 22:

"Your only dart is to buy a staunch horse with a tip-cart."

(2) Particular fancy or personal taste.

1895. Modern:

"`Fresh strawberries eh!--that's my dart,' says the bushman when he sees the fruit lunch in Collins-street."

Darter, n. common English name for birds of the genus Plotus. So called from the way it "darts" upon its prey. The Australian species is Plotus novae- hollandiae, Gould.

Dasyure, and Dasyurus, n. the scientific name of the genus of Australian animals called Native Cats. See under Cat. The first form is the Anglicized spelling and is scientifically used in preference to the misleading vernacular name. From the Greek dasus, thick with hair, hairy, s.h.a.ggy, and 'oura, tail. They range over Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and the adjacent islands. Unlike the Thylacine and Tasmanian Devil (q.v.), which are purely terrestrial, the Dasyurus are arboreal in their habits, while they are both carnivorous and insectivorous.

The Thylacine, Tasmanian Devil, Pouched Mice, and Banded Ant-eater have sometimes been incorrectly cla.s.sed as Dasyures, but the name is now strictly allotted to the genus Dasyurus, or Native Cat.

Date, Native, n. a Queensland fruit, Capparis canescens, Banks, N.O. Capparideae.

The fruit is shaped like a pear, and about half an inch in its largest diameter. It is eaten raw by the aborigines.

Deadbeat, n. In Australia, it means a man "down on his luck," "stone-broke," beaten by fortune. In America, the word means an impostor, a sponge. Between the two uses the connection is clear, but the Australian usage is logically the earlier.

Dead-bird, n. In Australia, a recent slang term, meaning "a certainty." The metaphor is from pigeon-shooting, where the bird being let loose in front of a good shot is as good as dead.

Dead-finish, n. a rough scrubtree.

(1)Albizzia basaltica, Benth., N.O. Leguminosae.

(2) Acacia farnesiana, Willd., N.O. Leguminosae. See quotation, 1889.

1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia', p. 272:

"On the eastern face of the coast range are pine, red cedar, and beech, and on the western slopes, rose-wood, myall, dead-finish, plum-tree, iron-wood and sandal-wood, all woods with a fine grain suitable for cabinet-making and fancy work."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 355:

"Sometimes called by the absurd name of `Dead Finish.' This name given to some species of Acacia and Albizzia, is on account of the trees or shrubs shooting thickly from the bottom, and forming an impenetrable barrier to the traveller, who is thus brought to a `dead finish' (stop)"

1893. `The Times,' [Reprint] `Letters from Queensland,' p. 60:

"The hawthorn is admirably represented by a brush commonly called `dead finish.'" [p. 61]: "Little knolls are crowned with `dead finish' that sheep are always glad to nibble."

Dead-wood Fence, n. The Australian fence, so called, is very different from the fence of the same name in England. It is high and big, built of fallen timber, logs and branches. Though still used in Australia for fencing runs, it is now usually superseded by wire fences.

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 157:

"A `dead-wood fence,' that is, a ma.s.s of timber four or five feet thick, and five or six high, the lower part being formed of the enormous trunks of trees, cut into logs six or eight feet long, laid side by side, and the upper portion consisting of the smaller branches skilfully laid over, or stuck down and twisted."

1872. G. Baden-Powell, `New Homes for the Old Country,' p. 207:

"A very common fence is built by felling trees round the s.p.a.ce to be enclosed, and then with their stems as a foundation, working up with the branches, a fence of a desirable height."

Deal, Native, n. an Australian timber, Nageia elata, F. v. M., N.O. Coniferae.

For other vernacular names see quotation.

1869. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 589:

"Pine, white pine, called she-pine in Queensland; native deal, pencil cedar. This tree has an elongated trunk, rarely cylindrical; wood free from knots, soft, close, easily worked, good for joiners' and cabinet-work; some trees afford planks of great beauty. (Macarthur.) Fine specimens of this timber have a peculiar mottled appearance not easily described, and often of surpa.s.sing beauty."

[See also Pine.]

December, n. a summer month in Australia.

See Christmas.

1885. J. Hood, `Land of the Fern,' p. 34:

"Warm December sweeps with burning breath Across the bosom of the shrinking earth."

Deepsinker, n. (1) The largest sized tumbler; (2) the long drink served in it. The idea is taken from deep-sinking in a mining shaft.

1897. `The Argus,' Jan. 15, p. 6, Col 5:

"As athletes the coc.o.o.ns can run rings round the beans; they can jump out of a tumbler--whether medium, small, or deepsinker is not recorded."

Deep Yellow-Wood, n. Rhus rhodanthema, F. v. M., N.O. Anacardiaceae. A tree with spreading head; timber valuable. See Yellow-Wood.

Deferred Payment, n. a legal phrase. "Land on deferred payment"; "Deferred payment settler"; "Pastoral deferred payment." These expressions in New Zealand have reference to the mode of statutory alienation of Crown lands, known in other colonies as conditional sale, etc., i.e. sale on time payment, with conditions binding the settler to erect improvements, ending in his acquiring the fee-simple. The system is obsolete, but many t.i.tles are still incomplete.

Dell-bird, n. another name for the Bell-bird (q.v.).

Dendrolagus, n. the scientific name of the genus of Australian marsupials called Tree-Kangaroos (q.v.). (Grk. dendron, a tree, and lagows, a hare.) Unlike the other kangaroos, their fore limbs are nearly as long as the hinder pair, and thus adapted for arboreal life.

There are five species, three belong to New Guinea and two to Queensland; they are the Queensland Tree-Kangaroo, Dendrolagus lumholtzi; Bennett's T.-k., D. bennettia.n.u.s; Black T.-k., D. ursinus : Brown T.-k., D. inustus; Doria's T.-k., D. doria.n.u.s.

See Kangaroo.

Derry, n. slang. The phrase "to have a down on" (see Down) is often varied to "have a derry on."

The connection is probably the comic-song refrain, "Hey derry down derry."

1896. `The Argus,' March 19, p. 5, col. 9:

"Mr. Croker: Certainly. We will tender it as evidence.

(To the witness.) Have you any particular `derry' upon this Wendouree?--No; not at all. There are worse vessels knocking about than the Wendouree."

Dervener, n. See quotation, and Derwenter.

1896. `The Argus,' Jan. 2, p. 3, col. 4, Letters to the Editor:

"`Dervener.'--An expression used in continental Australia for a man from the Derwent in Tasmania. Common up till 1850 at least.--David Blair."