The Sharks of New Zealand are--_Austral English

Black Shark--

Carcharodon melanopterus (Maori name Keremai).

Brown S.--

Scymnus lichia.

Great S.--

Carcharias maso.

Hammer-head S.--

Zygaena malleus (Maori name, Mangopare).

Port-eagle S.--

Lamna cornutica

Spinous S.--

Echinorhinus spinosus.

Tiger S.--

Scymnus sp. (Maori name, Mako).

See also Blue-Pointer, Whaler,

and Wobbegong.

<hw>Shearer's Joy</hw>, n. a name given to colonial

beer.

1892. Gilbert Parker, `Round the Compass in Australia,' p. 22:

"It was the habit afterwards among the seven to say that the

officers of the Eliza Jane had been indulging in

shearer's joy."

<hw>She-Beech</hw>, n. See Beech.

<hw>Shed</hw>, n. The word generally signifies the

Woolshed (q.v.). A large, substantial, and often

expensive building.

1896. H. Lawson, `When the World was Wide,' p. 143:

"There's 20 hungry beggars wild for any job this year,

An' 50 might be at the shed while I am lyin' here."

1896. `Melbourne Argus,' April 30, p. 2, col. 5:

"There is a substantial and comfortable homestead, and ample

shed accommodation."

<hw>Sheep-pest</hw>, n. a common Australian weed,

Acama ovina, Cunn., N.O. Rosaceae, found in all

the colonies; so called because its fruit adheres by hooked

spines to the wool of sheep.

<hw>Sheep-run</hw>, n. See Run.

<hw>Sheep-sick</hw>, n. Used of pastures exhausted for

carrying sheep. Compare English screw-sick, paint-sick,

nail-sick, wheat-sick, etc.

1895. `Leader,' August 3, p. 6, col. 1:

"It is the opinion of many practical men that certain country

to which severe losses have occurred in recent years has been

too long carrying sheep, and that the land has become what is

termed `sheep sick,' and from this point of view it certainly

appears that a course of better management is most desirable."

<hw>Sheep-wash</hw> (used as verb), to wash sheep. The word is

also used as a noun, in its ordinary English senses of (1) a

lotion for washing sheep; (2) the washing of sheep preparatory

to shearing: (3) the place where the sheep are washed, also

called the `sheep-dip.'

1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `A Sydney-side Saxon,' p. 184:

"He can't dig or sheep-wash or plough there."

<hw>Sheldrake</hw>, or <hw>Shieldrake</hw>, n. the

common English name of ducks of the genera Tadorna

and Casarca. The Australian species are--Casarca

tadornoides Jard., commonly called the Mountain

Duck; and the White-headed S., Tadorna radjah, Garnot.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 217:

"Charley shot the sheldrake of Port Essington (Tadorna Rajah)."

<hw>Shell-grinder</hw>, n. another name for the

Port-Jackson Shark (q.v.).

<hw>She-Oak</hw>, n. (1) A tree of the genus

Casuarina (q.v.). The timber, which is very hard and

makes good fuel, was thought to resemble oak. See Oak,

and quotation from Captain Cook. The prefix she is used

in Australia to indicate an inferiority of timber in respect

of texture, colour, or other character; e.g. She-beech,

She-pine. The reason for He-oak is given in

quotation 1835. Bull-oak, Marsh-oak,

Swamp-oak, were invented to represent variations

of the Casuarina. Except in its timber, the She-oak is

not in the least like an oak-tree (Quercus). The

spelling in quotation 1792 makes for this simple explanation,

which, like that of Beef-eater in English, and Mopoke

in Austral-English, was too simple; and other spellings,

e.g. Shea-oak, were introduced, to suggest a different

etymology. Shiak (quotation, 1853) seems to claim an

aboriginal origin (more directly claimed, quotation, 1895),

but no such aboriginal word is found in the vocabularies.

In quotations 1835, 1859, a different origin is assigned,

and a private correspondent, whose father was one of the first

to be born of English parents in New South Wales, says that

English officers who had served in Canada had named the tree

after one that they had known there. A higher authority,

Sir Joseph D. Hooker (see quotation, 1860), says, "I believe

adapted from the North-American Sheack." This origin,

if true,is very interesting; but Sir Joseph Hooker, in a letter

dated Jan. 26, 1897, writes that his authority was Mr. Gunn

(see quotation, 1835). That writer, however, it will be seen,

only puts "is said to be." To prove the American origin, we must

find the American tree. It is not in the `Century,' nor in the

large `Webster,' nor in `Funk and Wagnall's Standard,' nor in

either of two dictionaries of Americanisms. Dr. Dawson,

director of the Geological Survey of Canada, who is thoroughly

acquainted with Indian folk-lore and languages, and Mr. Fowler,

Professor of Botany in Queen's University, Kingston, say that

there is no such Indian word.

2792. G. Thompson, in `Historical Records of New South

Wales,' vol. ii. (1893) p. 799:

"There are two kinds of oak, called the he and the she oak,

but not to be compared with English oak, and a kind of pine

and mahogany, so heavy that scarce either of them will swim."

1802. D. Collins, `Account of New South Wales,'

vol. ii. p. 166 (Bass' diary at Port Dalrymple, Tasmania,

Nov. 1798):

"The She oaks were more inclined to spread than grow tall."