Austral English Part 88

"A public meeting of non-resident selectors has been held at Rushworth."

1884. Marcus Clarke, `Memorial Volume,' p. 85:

"A burly free selector pitched his tent in my Home-Station paddock and turned my dam into a wash."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. xii. p. 116:

"No, no; I've kept free-selectors out all these years, and as long as I live here I'll do so still."

Freezer, n. a sheep bred and raised in order that its mutton may be frozen and exported.

1893. J. Hotson, Lecture in `Age,' Nov.30, p. 7, col. 2:

"In the breeding of what are in New Zealand known as `freezers'

there lies a ready means of largely increasing the returns from our land."

Fresh-water Herring, n. In Sydney, the fish is Clupea richmondia, Macl. Elsewhere in Australia, and in Tasmania, it is another name for the Grayling (q.v.).

Fresh-water Perch, n. name given in Tasmania to the fish Microperca tasmaniae.

Friar-bird, n. an Australian bird, of the genus called Philemon, but originally named Tropidorhynchus (q.v.). It is a honey-eater, and is also called Poor Soldier and other names; see quotation, 1848. The species are--

Friar-Bird-- Philemon corniculatus, Lath. [Called also Leather-head, q.v.]

Helmeted F.-- P. buceroides, Swains.

Little F.-- P. sordidus, Gould.

Silvery-crowned F.-- P. argenticeps, Gould.

Yellow-throated F.- P. citreogularis, Gould.

Western F.-- P. occidentalis, Ramsay.

1798. D. Collins, `Account of English Colony in New South Wales,' p. 615 (Vocab.):

"Wirgan,--bird named by us the friar."

1827. Vigors and Horsfield, `Transactions of Linnaean Society,'

vol. xv. p. 324:

"Friar,--a very common bird about Paramatta, called by the natives `coldong:' It repeats the words `poor soldier' and `four o'clock' very distinctly."

1845. `Voyage to Port Phillip,' p. 53:

"The cheerful sedge-wren and the bald-head friar, The merry forest-pie with joyous song."

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. iv. pl. 58:

"Tropidorhynchus Corniculatus, Vig. and Hors.

"From the fancied resemblance of its notes to those words, it has obtained from the Colonists the various names of `Poor Soldier,' `Pimlico,' `Four o'clock,' etc. Its bare head and neck have also suggested the names of `Friar Bird,' `Monk,'

`Leather Head,' etc."

1855. W. Blandowski, `Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria,' vol. i. p. 64:

"The Tropidorhynchus corniculatus is well known to the colonists by the names `poor soldier,' `leather-headed jacka.s.s,' `friar-bird,' etc. This curious bird, in common with several other varieties of honey-eaters, is remarkable on account of its extreme liveliness and the singular resemblance of its notes to the human voice."

Frilled-Lizard, n. See quotation.

1875, G. Bennett, `Proceedings of Royal Society of Tasmania,'

p. 56:

"Notes on the Chlamydosaurus or frilled-lizard of Queensland (C. Kingii.) "

Frogsmouth, n. an Australian bird; genus Podargus, commonly called Mopoke (q.v.). The mouth and expression of the face resemble the appearance of a frog. The species are--

Freckled Frogsmouth-- Podargus phaloenoides, Gould.

Marbled F.-- P. marmoratus, Gould.

Plumed F.-- P. papuensis, Quoy and Gaim.

Tawney F.-- P. strigoides, Lath.

1895. W. O. Legge, `Australasian a.s.sociation for the Advancement of Science' (Brisbane), p. 447:

"The term `Frogsmouth' is used in order to get rid of that very objectionable name Podargus, and as being allied to the other genera Batrachostomus and Otothrix of the family Steatorninae in India. It is a name well suited to the singular structure of the mouth, and presumably better than the mythical t.i.tle of `Goatsucker.' `Night-hawk,'

sometimes applied to the Caprimulginae, does not accord with the mode of flight of the genus Podargus."

Frontage, n. land along a river or creek, of great importance to a station. A use common in Australia, not peculiar to it.

1844. `Port Phillip Patriot,' July i8, p. 3, col. 7:

"... has four miles frontage to the Yarra Yarra."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Squatter's Dream,' c. iii. p. 29:

"Jack was piloted by Mr. Hawkesbury through the `frontage'

and a considerable portion of the `back' regions of Gondaree."

Frost-fish, n. name given in Australia and New Zealand to the European Scabbard-fish, Lepidopus caudatus, White. The name is said to be derived from the circ.u.mstance that the fish is found alive on New Zealand sea-beaches on frosty nights. It is called the Scabbard-fish in Europe, because it is like the shining white metal sheath of a long sword. Lepidopus belongs to the family Trichiuridae, it reaches a length of five or six feet, but is so thin that it hardly weighs as many pounds. It is considered a delicacy in New Zealand.

1888. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. ii. p. 51:

"The frost-fish ... the most delicately flavoured of all New Zealand fishes, is an inhabitant of deep water, and on frosty nights, owing probably to its air-bladders becoming choked, it is cast up by the surf on the ocean-beach."

Fruit-Pigeon, n. The name is given to numerous pigeons of the genera Ptilinopus and Carpophaga.