She-Oak:--_Austral English

Coast S.-O.--

Casuarina stricta,

Desert S.-0.--

C. glauca, Sieb.

Erect S.-O.--

C. suberosa, Otto and Diet.

River S.-O.--

C. glauca, Sieb.

Scrub S.-O.--

C. cunninghamii, Miq.

Stunted S.-O.--

C. distyla, Vent.

Shingle-O.--

Casuarina stricta, Ait.;

C. suberosa, Otto and Diet.

Silky-O.--

Stenocarpus salignus, R. Br., N.O. Proteaceae;

called also Silvery-Oak. See also Grevillea

and Silky-Oak.

Swamp-O.--

Casuarina equisetifolia, Forst.;

C. glauca, Sieb.;

C. suberosa, Otto and Diet.;

C. stricta, Ait.; called also Saltwater Swamp-Oak.

White-O.--

Lagunaria patersoni, G. Don., N.O. Malvaceae.

Botany-Bay Oak, or Botany-Oak, is the name given

in the timber trade to the Casuarina .

The `Melbourne Museum Catalogue of Economic Woods' (1894)

classes the She-Oak in four divisions--

Desert She-Oak--

Casuarina glauca, Sieb.

Drooping S.-O.--

C. quadrivalvis, Labill.

Shrubby S.-O.--

C. distyla, Vent.

Straight S.-O.--

C. suberosa, Otto.

1770. Captain Cook, `Journal,' Sunday, May 6 (edition Wharton,

1893, pp. 247, 248):

"The great quantity of plants Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander

found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Botany

Bay. . . . Although wood is here in great plenty, yet there

is very little Variety; . . . Another sort that grows tall

and Strait something like Pines--the wood of this is hard and

Ponderous, and something of the Nature of America live Oak."

1770. R. Pickersgill, `Journal on the Endeavour' (in

`Historical Records of New South Wales'), p. 215:

"May 5, 1770.--We saw a wood which has a grain like Oak,

and would be very durable if used for building; the leaves

are like a pine leaf."

1802. Jas. Flemming, `Journal of Explorations of Charles

Grimes,' in `Historical Records of Port Phillip' (edition

1879, J. J. Shillinglaw), p. 22:

"The land is a light, black-sand pasture, thin of timber,

consisting of gum, oak, Banksia, and thorn."

[This combination of timbers occurs several times in the

`Journal.' It is impossible to decide what Mr. Flemming meant

by Oak.]

1839. T. L. Mitchell, `Three Expeditions,' vol. i. p. 38:

"We found lofty blue-gum trees (Eucalyptus) growing on

the flats near the Peel, whose immediate banks were overhung by

the dense, umbrageous foliage of the casuarina, or `river-oak'

of the colonists."

1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 38:

"The river-oak grows on the banks and rivers, and having thick

foliage, forms a pleasant and useful shade for cattle during

the heat of the day; it is very hard and will not split. The

timber resembles in its grain the English oak, and is the only

wood in the colony well adapted for making felloes of wheels,

yokes for oxen, and staves for casks."

1846. C. Holtzapffel, `Turning,' p. 75:

"Botany-Bay Oak, sometimes called Beef-wood, is from New South

Wales. . . . In general colour it resembles a full red mahogany,

with darker red veins."

1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 323:

"The Casuarina trees, with their leafless, thin,

thread-like, articulated branches, have been compared to the

arborescent horse-tails (Equisetaceae), but have a much

greater resemblance to the Larch-firs; they have the colonial

name of Oaks, which might be changed more appropriately to that

of Australian firs. The dark, mournful appearance of this tree

caused it to be planted in cemeteries. The flowers are

unisexual; the fruit consists of hardened bracts with winged

seeds. The wood of this tree is named Beef-wood by the

colonists."

1862. H. C. Kendall, `Poems,' p. 56:

"The wail in the native oak."

1878. W. R. Guilfoyle, `First Book of Australian Botany,'

p. 54:

"It may here be remarked that the term `oak' has been very

inaptly--in fact ridiculously--applied by the early Australian

settlers; notably in the case of the various species of

Casuarina, which are commonly called `she-oaks."

1880. Fison and Howitt, `Kamilaroi and Kurnai,' p. 252:

"They chose a tall He-oak, lopped it to a point."

1885. J. Hood, `Land of the Fern,' p. 53:

"The sighing of the native oak,

Which the light wind whispered through."

1892. A. Sutherland, `Elementary Geography of British

Colonies,' p. 27:

"A peculiar class of trees, called by the scientific name of

Casuarina, is popularly known as oaks, `swamp-oaks,'

`forest-oaks,' `she-oaks,' and so forth, although the trees

are not the least like oaks. They are melancholy looking

trees, with no proper leaves, but only green rods, like those

of a pine-tree, except that they are much longer, and hang like

the branches of a weeping-willow."

<hw>Oak-Apple</hw>, n. the Cone of the Casuarina

or She-Oak tree.

1862. G. T. Lloyd, `Thirty-three Years in Tasmania and

Victoria,' p. 32:

"The small apple of this tree (she-oak) is also dark green . . .

both apple and leaf are as acid as the purest vinegar.

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.'"

<hw>Oamaru Stone</hw>, 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 quantity has been exported to Melbourne."

<hw>Oat-Grass</hw>, n. Anthistiria avenacea,

F. v. M., N.O. Gramineae. A species of Kangaroo-

Grass (q.v.). See also Grass.

<hw>Oat-shell</hw>, n. the shell of various species of

Columbella, a small marine mollusc used for necklaces.

<hw>Oats, Wild</hw>, an indigenous grass, Bromus

arenarius, Labill, N.O. Gramineae.Called also

Seaside Brome-Grass. "It makes excellent hay." (Maiden,

p. 79.)

<hw>Officer Plant</hw>, n. another name for

Christmas-Bush (q.v.), so called "because of its bright

red appearance." (Maiden, p. 404.)

<hw>Old Chum</hw>, 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."

<hw>Old Hat</hw>, 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."

<hw>Old Lady</hw>, n. name given to a moth, Erebus

Pluto.

<hw>Old Man</hw>, 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 grass 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 shaggy 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 . . ."

<hw>Old-Man Fern</hw>, a Bush-name in Tasmania for the

Tree-fern (q.v.).

<Mhw>Old-Man Salt-Bush</hw>, 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)."

<hw>Old-Wife</hw>, 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."

<hw>Olive, Mock</hw>, i.q. Axe-breaker (q.v.).

<hw>Olive, Native</hw>, 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.

<hw>Olive, Spurious</hw>, n. another name for the tree

Notelaea ligustrina, Vent. See Ironwood.

<hw>On</hw>, 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).

1869. J. F. Blanche, `The Prince's Visit,' p. 21:

"When came Victoria's son on Ballarat."

1896. H. Lawson, `While the Billy boils, etc.' p. 3:

"After tea they would sit on a log of the wood-heap, . .

and yarn about Ballarat and Bendigo--of the days when we spoke

of being `on' a place oftener than `at' it: on Ballarat,

on Gulgong, on Lambing Flat, on Creswick."

<hw>Onion, Native</hw>, n. i.q. Native Leek. See

Leek.

<hw>Onychogale</hw>, n. the scientific name of the genus

containing the Nail-tailed Wallabies (q.v.). They

derive their name from the presence of a peculiar horny

appendage to their tails. (Grk. 'onux, 'onuchos,

a claw, and galae, a weasel.) For the species,

see Wallaby.

<hw>Opossum</hw>, n. The marsupial animal, frequent all

over Australia, which is called an Opossum, is a

Phalanger (q.v.). He is not the animal to which the

name was originally applied, that being an American animal of

the family Didelphyidae. See quotations below from

`Encycl. Brit.' (1883). Skeat (`Etym. Dict.') says the word is

West Indian, but he quotes Webster (presumably an older edition

than that now in use), "Orig. opassom, in the language of the

Indians of Virginia," and he refers to a translation of

Buffon's Natural History' (Lond. 1792), Vol. i. p. 214. By

1792 the name was being applied in Australia. The name opossum

is applied in Australia to all or any of the species belonging

to the following genera, which together form the sub-family

Phalangerinae, viz.--Phalanger, Trichosurus,

Pseudochirus, Petauroides, Dactylopsila,

Petaurus, Gymnobelideus, Dromicia, Acrobates.