Austral English Part 90

1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' vol. i. Intro.

p. x.x.xviii:

"Upon the branches the satin-bird, the gangan, and various kinds of pigeons were feeding."

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. v. pl. 14:

"Callocephalon Galeatum, Gang-gang c.o.c.katoo, Colonists of New South Wales."

Gannet, n. the English name for the Solan Goose and its tribe. The Australian species are--

The Gannet-- Sula serrator, Banks.

Brown G. (called also b.o.o.by)-- S. leucogastra, Bodd.

Masked G.-- S. cyanops, Sunder.

Red-legged G.-- S. piscator, Linn.

The species in New Zealand is Dysporus serrator, Grey; Maori name, Takapu.

Garfish, n. In England the name is applied to any fish of the family Belonidae. The name was originally used for the common European Belone vulgaris.

In Melbourne the Garfish is a true one, Belone ferox, Gunth., called in Sydney "Long Tom." In Sydney, Tasmania, and New Zealand it is Hemirhamphus intermedius, Cantor.; and in New South Wales, generally, it is the river-fish H. regularis, Gunth., family Sombresocidae. Some say that the name was originally "Guard-fish," and it is still sometimes so spelt. But the word is derived from xGar, in Anglo-Saxon, which meant spear, dart, javelin, and the allusion is to the long spear-like projection of the fish's jaws. Called by the Sydney fishermen Ballahoo, and in Auckland the Piper (q.v.).

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 288:

"Charley brought me ... the head bones of a large guard-fish."

1849. Anon., `New South Wales: its Past, Present, and Future Condition,' p. 99:

"The best kinds of fish are guard, mullet, and schnapper."

1850. Clutterbuck, `Port Phillip,' c. iii. p. 44:

"In the bay are large quant.i.ties of guard-fish."

1875. `Spectator' (Melbourne), June I9, p. 81, col.1:

"Common fish, such as trout, ruffies, mullet, garfish."

1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish of New South Wales,'

p. 83:

"Of the garfishes we have four species known to be found on our coasts. One, Hemirhamphus regularis, is the favourite breakfast fish of the citizens of Sydney. H. melanochir, or `river garfish,' is a still better fish, but has become very scarce. H. argentcus, the common Brisbane species ... and H. commersoni."

Gastrolobium, n. scientific name of a genus of Australian shrubs, N.O. Leguminosae, commonly known as Poison Bushes (q.v.). The species are--

Gastrolobium bilob.u.m, R. Br.

G. callistachys, Meissn.

G. calycium, Benth.

G. obovatum, Benth.

G. oxylobioides, Benth.

G. spinosum, Benth.

G. trilob.u.m, Benth.

All of which are confined to Western Australia. The species Gastrolobium grandiflorum, F. v. M. (also called Wall-flower), is the only species found out of Western Australia, and extends across Central Australia to Queensland.

All the species have pretty yellow and purple flowers. The name is from the Greek gastaer, gastros, the belly, and lobion, dim. of lobos, "the capsule or pod of leguminous plants." (`L. & S.')

Geebung, or Geebong, n. aboriginal name for the fruit of various species of the tree Persoonia, and also for the tree itself, N.O. Proteaceae.

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

p. 221:

"The jibbong is another tasteless fruit, as well as the five corners, much relished by children."

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition, p. 478:

"We gathered and ate a great quant.i.ty of gibong (the ripe fruit of Persoonia falcata)."

1852. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes,' c. vi,. p. 176, 3rd edition 1855:

"The geebung, a native plum, very woolly and tasteless."

1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 113:

"We gathered the wild raspberries, and mingling them with geebongs and scrub berries, set forth a dessert."

1885. Rolf Boldrewood, `Robbery under Arms,' p. 255:

"You won't turn a five-corner into a quince, or a geebung into an orange."

1889. J. M. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 584:

"A `geebung' (the name given to the fruits of Persoonias, and hence to the trees themselves)."

Gerygone, n. scientific and vernacular name of a genus of small warblers of Australia and New Zealand; the new name for them is Fly-eater (q.v.). In New Zealand they are called Bush-warblers, Grey-warblers, etc., and they also go there by their Maori name of Riro-riro.

For the species, see Fly-eater and Warbler. The name is from the Greek gerugonae, "born of sound," a word used by Theocritus.

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

"[The habits and habitats of the genus] Gerygone suggested the term Fly-eater, as distinguished from Fly-catcher, for this aberrant and peculiarly Australasian form of small Fly-catchers, which not only capture their food somewhat after the manner of Fly-catchers, but also seek for it arboreally."

Ghilgai, n. an aboriginal word used by white men in the neighbourhood of Bourke, New South Wales, to denote a saucer-shaped depression in the ground which forms a natural reservoir for rainwater. Ghilgais vary from 20 to 100 yards in diameter, and are from five to ten feet deep. They differ from Claypans (q.v.), in being more regular in outline and deeper towards the centre, whereas Claypans are generally flat-bottomed. Their formation is probably due to subsidence.

Giant-Lily, n. See under Lily.

Giant-Nettle, i.q. Nettle-tree (q.v.).

Gibber, n. an aboriginal word for a stone.