177 J. White, `Voyage to New South Wales,' p. 178:_Austral English

"At the heart they [the trees] are full of veins, through which

an amazing quantity of an astringent red gum issues. This gum

I have found very serviceable in an obstinate dysentery."

Ibid. p. 233:

"A very powerfully astringent gum-resin, of a red colour,

much resembling that known in the shops as Kino, and,

for all medical purposes, fully as efficacious."

1793. J. E. Smith, `Specimen of Botany of New Holland,'

p. 10:

"This, Mr. White informs us, is one of the trees (for there are

several, it seems, besides the Eucalyptus resinifera,

mentioned in his Voyage, p. 231) which produce the red gum."

[The tree is Ceratopetalum gummiferum, Smith, called by

him Three-leaved Red-gum Tree. It is now called

Officer Plant or Christmas-bush (q.v.).]

1865. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `History of the Discovery

and Exploration of Australia,' vol. i. p. 42:

"The usual red gum was observed oozing out from the bark, and

this attracted their notice, as it did that of every explorer

who had landed upon the continent. This gum is a species of

kino, and possesses powerful astringent, and probably staining,

qualities."

<hw>Red Gurnet-Perch</hw>, n. name given in Victoria to

the fish Sebastes percoides, Richards., family

Scorpaenidae. It is also called Poddly; Red

Gurnard, or Gurnet; and in New Zealand,

Pohuikaroa. See Perch and Gurnet.

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

p. 48:

"Sebastes percoides, a fish of a closely allied genus

of the same family [as Scorpaena cruenta, the red

rock-cod]. It is caught at times in Port Jackson, but has no

local name. In Victoria it is called the Red Gurnet-perch."

<hw>Redhead</hw>, n. See Firetail.

<hw>Red-knee</hw>, n. sometimes called the Red-kneed

Dottrel, Charadrius ruftveniris, formerly

Erythrogonys cinctus, Gould. A species of a genus

of Australian plovers.

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. vi. pl. 21:

"Erythrogonys Cinctus, Gould; Banded Red-knee."

<hw>Red Mulga</hw>, n. name given to a species of

Acacia, A. cyperophylla, F. v. M., owing to the red

colour of the flakes of bark which peel off the stem. See

Mulga.

1896. Baldwin Spencer, `Home Expedition in Central Australia,'

Narrative, pt. i. p. 16:

"We crossed a narrow belt of country characterized by the

growth along the creek sides of red mulga. This is an Acacia

(A. cyperophylla) reaching perhaps a height of twenty

feet, the bark of which, alone amongst Acacias, is deciduous

and peels off, forming little deep-red coloured flakes."

<hw>Red Mullet</hw>, n. New South Wales, Upeneoides

vlamingii, Cuv. and Val., and Upeneus porosus,

Cuv. and Val., family Mullidae. See Mullet.

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

p. 38:

"The name of this family is a source of much confusion. It is

derived from the Latin word mullus, which in the form of

`Mullet' we apply to the well-known fishes of quite a different

family, the Mugilidae. Another fish to which the term

`Red-Mullet' is applied is of the family Cottidae or

Gurnards."

<hw>Red Perch</hw>, n. name given in Tasmania to the

fish Anthias rasor, Richards.; also called the Barber.

In Australia, it is Anthias longimanus, Gunth.

<hw>Red Rock-Cod</hw>, n. name given in New South Wales

to the fish Scorpaena cardinalis, Richards., family

Scorpaenidae, marine fishes resembling the Sea-perches.

S. cardinalis is of a beautiful scarlet colour.

<hw>Red-streaked Spider</hw>, or <hw>Black-and-red Spider</hw>,

an Australasian spider (Latrodectus scelio, Thorel.),

called in New Zealand the Katipo (q.v.).

<hw>Red-throat</hw>, n. a small brown Australian

singing-bird, with a red throat, Pyrrholaemus brunneus,

Gould.

<hw>Reed-mace</hw>, n. See Wonga

and Raupo.

<hw>Reef</hw>, n. term in gold-mining; a vein of

auriferous quartz. Called by the Californian miners a vein, or

lode, or ledge. In Bendigo, the American usage remains, the

words reef, dyke, and vein being used as

synonymous, though reef is the most common. (See quotation,

1866.) In Ballarat, the word has two distinct meanings,

viz. the vein, as above, and the bed-rock or

true-bottom. (See quotations, 1869 and 1874.) Outside

Australia, a reef means "a chain or range of rocks lying

at or near the surface of the water." (`Webster.')

1858. T. McCombie, `History of New South Wales,' c. xiv.

p. 213:

"A party . . . discovered gold in the quartz-reefs of the

Pyrenees [Victoria]."

1860. W. Kelly, `Life in Victoria,' vol. ii. p. 148:

"If experience completely establishes the fact, at least, under

existing systems, that the best-paying reefs are those that are

largely intersected with fissures--more inclined to come out in

pebbles than in blocks--or, if I might coin a designation,

`rubble reefs,' as contradistinguished from `boulder reefs,'

showing at the same time a certain degree of ignigenous

discoloration . . . still, where there are evidences of

excessive volcanic effect . . . the reef may be set down as

poor . . ."

1866. A. R. Selwyn, `Exhibition Essays,' Notes on the

Physical Geography, Geology, and Mineralogy of Victoria:

"Quartz occurs throughout the lower palaeozoic rocks in veins,

`dykes' or `reefs,' from the thickness of a thread to 130

feet."

1869. R. Brough Smyth, `Goldfields Glossary,' p. 619:

"Reef. The term is applied to the tip-turned edges of the

palaeozoic rocks. The reef is composed of slate, sandstone,

or mudstone. The bed-rock anywhere is usually called the reef.

A quartz-vein; a lode."

1874. Reginald A. F. Murray, `Progress Report, Geological

Survey, Victoria,' vol. i. p. 65 [Report on the Mineral

Resources of Ballarat]:

"This formation is the `true bottom,' `bed rock' or `reef,'

of the miners."

1894. `The Argus,' March 28, p. 5, col. 5:

"In looking for reefs the experienced miner commences on the

top of the range and the spurs, for the reason that

storm-waters have carried the soil into the gullies and left

the bed-rock exposed."

<hw>Reef</hw>, v. to work at a reef.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. iii. p. 30:

"The University graduate . . . was to be seen patiently

sluicing, or reefing, as the case might be."

[See also Quartz-reefing.]

<hw>Regent-bird</hw>, n. (1) An Australian Bower-bird,

Sericulus melinus, Lath., named out of compliment to the

Prince Regent, afterwards George IV. (therefore named before

1820).

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 161:

"Mr. Gilbert observed the female of the Regent-bird."

(2) Mock Regent-bird, now Meliphaga phrygia,

Lath.

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. iv. pl. 48:

"Zanthomyza Phrygia, Swains., Warty-faced Honey-eater

[q.v.]; Mock Regent-Bird, Colonists of New South Wales."

<hw>Remittance-man</hw>, n. one who derives the means

of an inglorious and frequently dissolute existence from the

periodical receipt of money sent out to him from Europe.

1892. R. L. Stevenson, `The Wrecker,' p. 336:

"Remittance men, as we call them here, are not so rare

in my experience; and in such cases I act upon a system."

<hw>Rewa-rewa</hw>, n. pronounced raywa, Maori

name for the New Zealand tree Knightia excelsa, R. Br.,

N.O. Proteaceae, the Honey-suckle of the New Zealand

settlers. Maori verb, rewa, to float. The seed-vessel

is just like a Maori canoe.

1857. C. Hursthouse, `New Zealand, the Britain of the

South,' vol. i. p. 143:

"Rewarewa (honeysuckle), a handsome flowering tree common on

the outskirts of the forests. Wood light and free-working: the

grain handsomely flowered like the Baltic oak."

1878. R. C. Barstow, `On the Maori Canoe,' `Transactions

of the New Zealand Institute,' vol. xi. art. iv. p. 73:

"Dry rewarewa wood was used for the charring."

1880. W. Colenso, `Traditions of the Maoris,' `Transactions

of New Zealand Institute,' vol. xiii. p. 53:

"The boy went into the forest, and brought back with him a

seed-pod of the rewarewa tree (Knightia excelsa). . . .

He made his way to his canoe, which was made like the pod of

the rewarewa tree."

1983. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand,' p. 129:

"Rewarewa, a lofty, slender tree, 100 feet high. Wood

handsome, mottled red and brown, used for furniture and

shingles, and for fencing, as it splits easily. It is a most

valuable veneering wood."

<hw>Reward-Claim</hw>, n. the Australian legal term for

the large area granted as a "reward" to the miner who first

discovers valuable gold in a new district, and reports it to

the Warden of the Goldfields. The first great discovery of

gold in Coolgardie was made by Bayley in 1893, and his

reward-claim, sold to a syndicate, was known as "Bayley's

Reward." See also Prospecting Claim, and Claim.

1891. W. Tilley, `Wild West of Tasmania,' p. 11:

"Prospected with the result that he discovered the first

payable gold on the West Coast, for which he obtained

a reward claim."

<hw>Rhipidura</hw>, n. scientific name for a genus of

Australasian birds, called Fantail (q.v.). They are

Fly-catchers. The word is from Grk. rhipidos, `of a

fan,' and 'oura, `a tail.'

<hw>Ribbed Fig</hw>, n. See Fig.

<hw>Ribbonwood</hw>, n. All species of

Plagianthus and Hoheria are to the colonists

Ribbonwood, especially Plagianthus betulinus,

A. Cunn., and Hoheria populnea, A. Cunn., the bark of

which is used for cordage, and was once used for making a

demulcent drink. Alpine Ribbon-wood, Plagianthus

lyalli, Hook. Other popular names are Houhere,

Houi (Maori), Lace-bark (q.v.), and

Thousand-Jacket (q.v.).

<hw>Ribgrass</hw>, n. a Tasmanian name for the Native

Plantain. See Plantain.

<hw>Rice-flower</hw>, n. a gardeners' name for the

cultivated species of Pimalea (q.v.). The

Rice-flowers are beautiful evergreens about three feet

high, and bear rose-coloured, white, and yellow blooms.

<hw>Rice-shell</hw>, n. The name is applied elsewhere

to various shells; in Australia it denotes the shell of various

species of Truncatella, a small marine mollusc, so

called from a supposed resemblance to grains of rice,

and used for necklaces.

<hw>Richea</hw>, n. a Tasmanian Grasstree (q.v.),

Richea pandanifolia, Hook., N.O. Liliaceae.

1850. `Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van

Diemen's Land,' May 8, vol. i. p. 278:

"A section . . . of the stem of the graceful palm-like Richea

(Richea pandanifolia), found in the dense forests

between Lake St. Clair and Macquarie Harbour, where it attains

the height of 40 to 50 feet in sheltered positions,--the

venation, markings, and rich yellow colouring of which were

much admired."

1878. Rev. W. W. Spicer, `Handbook of the Plants of

Tasmania,' p. 125:

Richea pandanifolia, H. Giant Grass Tree. Peculiar to

Tasmania. Dense forests in the interior and SW."

<hw>Ridge-Myrtle</hw>, n. See Myrtle.

<hw>Rifle-bird</hw>, n. sometimes called also

Rifleman (q.v.); a bird of paradise. The male is of a

general velvety black, something like the uniform of the Rifle

Brigade. This peculiarity, no doubt, gave the bird its name,

but, on the other hand, settlers and local naturalists

sometimes ascribe the name to the resemblance they hear in the

bird's cry to the noise of a rifle being fired and its bullet

striking the target. The Rifle-bird is more famed for

beauty of plumage than any other Australian bird. There are

three species, and they are of the genus Ptilorhis,

nearly related to the Birds of Paradise of New Guinea, where

also is found the only other known species of Ptilorhis.

The chief species is Ptilorhis paradisea, Lath., the

other two species were named respectively, after the Queen and

the late Prince Consort, Victoriae and Alberti,

but some naturalists have given them other generic names.

As to the name, see also quotation, 1886. See Manucode.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 194:

"We saw . . . a rifle-bird."

1886. `Encyclopaedia Britannica,' vol. xx. p. 553:

"Rifleman-Bird, or Rifle-Bird, names given . . . probably

because in coloration it resembled the well-known uniform of

the rifle-regiments of the British army, while in its long and

projecting hypochondriac plumes and short tail a further

likeness might be traced to the hanging pelisse and the jacket

formerly worn by the members of those corps."-- [Footnote]:

"Curiously enough its English name seems to be first mentioned

in ornithological literature by Frenchmen--Lesson and

Garnot--in 1828, who say (Voy. `Coquille,' Zoologie,

p. 669) that it was applied `pour rappeler que ce fut un soldat

de la garnison [of New South Wales] qui le tua le premier,'

which seems to be an insufficient reason, though the statement

as to the bird's first murderer may be true."

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 171:

"It was an Australian bird of paradise, the celebrated

Rifle-bird (Ptilorhis victoriae), which, according to

Gould, has the most brilliant plumage of all Australian birds."

<hw>Rifleman</hw>, n. a bird of New Zealand,

Acanthidositta chloris, Buller; Maori name,

Titipounamu. See quotation. The name is sometimes

applied also to the Rifle-bird (q.v.).

1888. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. i. p. 113:

"Acanthidositta chloris, Buller. The rifleman is the

smallest of our New Zealand birds. It is very generally

distributed."

[Footnote]: "This has hitherto been written

Acanthisitta; but Professor Newton has drawn my

attention to the fact of its being erroneous. I have therefore

adopted the more classic form of Acanthidositta, the

etymology of which is 'akanthid,--crude form of

'akanthis = Carduelis, and sitta = sitta."

1888. W. Smith, `Transactions of the New Zealand Institute,'

vol. xxi. art. xxi. p. 214:

"Acanthisitta chloris (Rifleman). The feeble note of

this diminutive bird is oftener heard in the bush than the bird

is seen."

<hw>Right-of-Way</hw>, n. a lane. In England the word

indicates a legal right to use a particular passage. In

Australia it is used for the passage or lane itself.

1893. `The Argus,' Feb. 3:

"The main body of the men was located in the right-of-way,

which is overlooked by the side windows of the bureau."

<hw>Rimu</hw>, n. Maori name for a New Zealand tree,

Dacrydium cupressinum, N.O. Coniferae; also

called Red pine. Rimu is generally used

in North Island; Red pine more generally in the South.

See Pine.

1835. W. Yate, `Account of New Zealand,' p. 40:

"Rimu. This elegant tree comes to its greatest perfection in

shaded woods, and in moist, rich soil."

1872. A. Domett, `Ranolf,' p. 117:

"He lay

Couched in a rimu-tree one day."

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 306:

"The Rimu Tree. Height, eighty to 100 feet, fully forty to

fifty feet clear of branches . . . moderately hard . . .

planes up smoothly, takes a good polish, would be useful to the

cabinetmaker."

1879. Clement Bunbury, `Fraser's Magazine,' June, p. 761:

"Some of the trees, especially the rimu, a species of yew, here

called a pine, were of immense size and age."

<hw>Ring</hw>, v. tr. (1) To cut the bark of a tree

round the trunk so as to kill it. The word is common in the

same sense in English forestry and horticulture, and only seems

Australasian from its more frequent use, owing to the

widespread practice of clearing the primeval forests and

generally destroying trees. "Ringed" is the correct past

participle, but "rung" is now commonly used.

1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. i.

c. x. p. 315:

"What they call ringing the trees; that is to say, they cut

off a large circular band of bark, which, destroying the trees,

renders them easier to be felled."

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