Austral English Part 184

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 15:

"In cases of severe thirst, great relief may be obtained from chewing the foliage of this and other species [of Casuarina], which, being of an acid nature, produces a flow of saliva--a fact well-known to bushmen who have traversed waterless portions of the country. This acid is closely allied to citric acid, and may prove identical with it. Children chew the young cones, which they call `oak-apples.'"

Oamaru Stone, n. Oamaru is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It produces a fine building stone.

1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand', p. 64:

"A white, granular limestone, called the Oamaru stone, is worked in extensive quarries in the Oamaru district... .

A considerable quant.i.ty has been exported to Melbourne."

Oat-Gra.s.s, n. Anthistiria avenacea, F. v. M., N.O. Gramineae. A species of Kangaroo- Gra.s.s (q.v.). See also Gra.s.s.

Oat-sh.e.l.l, n. the sh.e.l.l of various species of Columbella, a small marine mollusc used for necklaces.

Oats, Wild, an indigenous gra.s.s, Bromus arenarius, Labill, N.O. Gramineae.Called also Seaside Brome-Gra.s.s. "It makes excellent hay." (Maiden, p. 79.)

Officer Plant, n. another name for Christmas-Bush (q.v.), so called "because of its bright red appearance." (Maiden, p. 404.)

Old Chum, n. Not in common use: the opposite to a new chum.

1846. C. P. Hodgson, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 366:

"`New chum,' in opposition to `old chum.' The former `cognomen' peculiarizing [sic] the newly-arrived emigrant; the latter as a mark of respect attached to the more experienced colonist."

Old Hat, a Victorian political catch-word.

1895. `The Argus,' May 11, p. 8, col. 3:

"Mr. Frank Stephen was the author of the well-known epithet `Old Hats,' which was applied to the rank and file of Sir James M'Culloch's supporters. The phrase had its origin through Mr. Stephen's declaration at an election meeting that the electors ought to vote even for an old hat if it were put forward in support of the M'Culloch policy."

Old Lady, n. name given to a moth, Erebus Pluto.

Old Man, n. a full-grown male Kangaroo.

The aboriginal corruption is Wool-man.

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

vol. ii. p. 160:

"To your great relief, however, the `old man' turns out to possess the appendage of a tail, and is in fact no other than one of our old acquaintances, the kangaroos."

1830. R. Dawson, `Present State of Australia,' p. 141:

"If he (greyhound) has less ferocity when he comes up with an `old man,' so much the better... . The strongest and most courageous dog can seldom conquer a wool-man alone, and not one in fifty will face him fairly; the dog who has the temerity is certain to be disabled, if not killed."

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 33:

"Mr. Gilbert started a large kangaroo known by the familiar name of `old man.'"

1861. T. McCombie, `Australian Sketches,' p. 172:

"The settlers designate the old kangaroos as `old men' and `old women;' the full-grown animals are named `flyers,' and are swifter than the British hare."

1864. W. Westgarth, `Colony of Victoria,' p. 451:

"The large kangaroo, the `old man,' as he is called, timorous of every unwonted sound that enters his large, erected ears, has been chased far from every busy seat of colonial industry."

1873. J. B. Stephens, `Black Gin,' p. 39:

"Where the kangaroo gave hops, The old man fleetest of the fleet."

1893. `The Times,' [Reprint] `Letters from Queensland,' p. 66:

"The animals, like the timber, too, are strange. Kangaroo and wallaby are as fond of gra.s.s as the sheep, and after a pelican's yawn there are few things funnier to witness than the career of an `old man' kangaroo, with his harem after him, when the approach of a buggy disturbs the family at their afternoon meal. Away they go, the little ones cantering briskly, he in a s.h.a.ggy gallop, with his long tail stuck out for a balance, and a perpetual see-saw maintained between it and his short front paws, while the hind legs act as a mighty spring under the whole construction. The side and the back view remind you of a big St. Bernard dog, the front view of a rat. You begin an internal debate as to which he most resembles, and in the middle of it you find that he is sitting up on his haunches, which gives him a secure height of from five to six feet, and is gravely considering you with the air of the old man he is named from."

Old-Man, adj. large, or bigger than usual. Compare the next two words.

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 233:

"I stared at a man one day for saying that a certain allotment of land was `an old-man allotment': he meant a large allotment, the old-man kangaroo being the largest kangaroo."

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 7:

"Who that has ridden across the Old-Man Plain ..."

Old-Man Fern, a Bush-name in Tasmania for the Tree-fern (q.v.).

Old-Man Salt-Bush, Atriplex nummularium, Lindl. See Salt-Bush.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 118:

"One of the tallest and most fattening and wholesome of Australian pastoral salt-bushes; also highly recommended for cultivation, as natural plants. By close occupation of the sheep and cattle runs, have largely disappeared, and as this useful bush is not found in many parts of Australia, sheep and cattle depastured on saltbush country are said to remain free of fluke, and get cured of Distoma-disease, and of other allied ailments (Mueller)."

Old-Wife, n. a New South Wales fish, Enoplosus armatus, White, family Percidae.

The local name Old-Wife in England is given to a quite different fish, one of the Sea-Breams.

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

p. 32:

"The `old-wife' (Enoplosus armatus, White) is another fish which from its small size is not esteemed nearly so highly as it ought to be. It is a most exquisite fish."

Olive, Mock, i.q. Axe-breaker (q.v.).

Olive, Native, n. one of the many names given to four trees--

Bursaria spinosa, Cav., N.O. Pittosporeae,; Elaeocarpus cyaneus, Ait., N.O. Tiliaceae; Notelaea ovala, R. Br., N.O. Jasmineae,; and, in Queensland, to Olea paniculata, R. Br., N.O. Jasmineae,, a tree of moderate size, with ovoid fruit resembling a small common Olive.

Olive, Spurious, n. another name for the tree Notelaea ligustrina, Vent. See Ironwood.

On, prep. Used for In, in many cases, especially of towns which sprang from Goldfields, and where the original phrase was, e.g. "on the Ballarat diggings, or goldfield." Thus, an inhabitant still speaks of living On Ballarat, On Bendigo; On South Melbourne (formerly Emerald Hill).