"These trees, called blackboys by the colonists, from the
resemblance they bear in the distance to natives."
1873. A. Trollope, `Australia and New Zealand,' vol. ii. p. 92:
"Gas admirably fitted for domestic purposes had been extracted
from the shrub called the `blackboy.' I regret to state that
the gas . . . is not . . . at present known in the colony."
1886. R. Henty, `Australiana,' p. 15:
"The common grass-tree or `blackboy,' so called from its long
dark stem and dark seed head (when dry)."
1896. `The Australasian,' Feb. 15, p. 313 (with an
Illustration):
"The Blackboy trees are a species of grass-tree or
<i>Xanthorrhoea</i>, exuding a gummy substance used by the
blacks for fastening glass and quartz-barbs to their spears.
Many years ago, when coal was scarce in Western Australia, an
enterprising firm . . . erected a gas-making plant, and
successfully lit their premises with gas made from the
Blackboy."
1896. Modern:
A story is told of a young lady saying to a naval officer:--
"I was this morning watching your ship coming into harbour,
and so intently that I rode over a young blackboy." The officer
was shocked at her callousness in expressing no contrition.
<hw>Black-Bream</hw>, <i>n</i>. an Australian fish,
<i>Chrysophrys australis</i>, Gunth., family <i>Sparidae</i>,
or Sea-Breams; called in Tasmania <i>Silver-Bream</i>, the fish
there called <i>Black-Bream</i> being another of the
<i>Sparidae</i>, <i>Girella tricuspidata</i>, Cuv. and Val.
See <i>Tarwhine</i> and <i>Black-fish</i>.
1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish of New South Wales,' p. 42:
"<i>Chrysophrys</i> comprises the tarwhine and black-bream of
the Sydney fishermen. . . . We have two species in
Australia. . . . The black-bream, <i>C. australis</i>,
Gunth., and the tarwhine, <i>C. sarba</i>, Forsk. . . .
The Australian bream is as common on the south as on the east
coast. It affords excellent sport to anglers in Victoria."
<hw>Blackbutt</hw>, <i>n</i>. <i>Eucalyptus pilularis</i>, Smith,
Victoria; <i>E. regnans</i>, F. v. M., New South Wales; a timber
tree, a gum. Another name is <i>Flintwood</i>. The lower part
of the trunk is black.
1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 49:
"The range . . . having with the exception of the Blackbutt all
the trees . . . of Moreton Bay."
1863. M. K. Beveridge, `Gatherings among Gum-trees,' p. 86:
"'Tis there the `blackbut' rears its head."
1894. `Melbourne Museum Catalogue, Economic Woods,' p. 30:
"A tree of considerable size. . . The bark smooth and falling
off in flakes upward, and on the branches."
1897. `The Age,' Feb. 22, p. 5, col. 3:
"Mr. Richards stated that the New South Wales black butt and
tallow wood were the most durable and noiseless woods for
street-paving, as well as the best from a sanitary point of
view."
<hw>Black-Cod</hw>, <i>n</i>. a New Zealand fish, <i>Notothenia
angustata</i>.
<hw>Blackfellow</hw>, <i>n</i>. an aboriginal Australian.
1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discovery in Australia,' i. 4, 74:
"The native Miago . . . appeared delighted that these `black
fellows,' as he calls them, have no throwing sticks."
1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 9:
"The well-known tracks of blackfellows are everywhere visible."
1871. Dingo, `Australian Rhymes,' p. 14:
"Wurragaroo loved Wangaraday
In a blackfellow's own peculiar way."
<hw>Black-Fern</hw>, <i>n</i>. The Tasmanian species so called
is <i>Athyrium australe</i>, Presl., <i>N.O. Polypodeae</i>.
<hw>Black-fish</hw>, <i>n</i>. The name is given, especially in
Sydney, to the sea-fishes <i>Girella simplex</i>, Richards (see
<i>Ludrick</i>), and <i>Girella tricuspidata</i>, Cuv. and
Val.; also to a fresh-water fish all over Australia,
<i>Gadopsis marmoratus</i>, Richards. <i>G. marmoratus</i> is
very common in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and
parts of Tasmania. There are local varieties. It is much
esteemed as a food fish, but is, like all mud fishes, rich and
oily. <i>Girella</i> belongs to the family <i>Sparida</i>, or
Sea-Breams, and <i>Gadopsis</i> to the <i>Gadopsidae</i>, a
family allied to that containing the Cod fishes. The name was
also formerly applied to a whale.
1853. C. St. Julian and E. K. Silvester, `Productions,
Industry, and Resources of New South Wales,' p. 115:
"There is a species of whale called by those engaged in the
south sea fishing the <i>Black-fish</i> or <i>Black-whale</i>,
but known to the naturalist as the Southern Rorqual, which the
whalemen usually avoid."