Austral English Part 211

1890. R. A. F. Murray, `Reports and Statistics of the Mining Department [of Victoria] for the Quarter ending 31st December':

"The quartz here is very white and crystalline, with ferruginous, clayey joints, and--from a miner's point of view--of most unpromising or `hungry' appearance."

Quartz-battery, n. a machine for crushing quartz, and so extracting gold.

1890. `The Argus,' July 26, p. 4, col. 4:

"There was a row [noise] like a quartz-battery."

Quartz-blade, n. blade of a miner's knife used for picking lumps of gold out of the stone.

1891. `The Argus,' Dec. 19, p. 4, col. 2:

"They had slashed open his loins with a quartz-blade knife."

Quartz-crushing, adj. See Quartz.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. xxxix. p. 341:

"The dull reverberating clash of the quartz-crushing batteries."

Quartz-field, n. a non-alluvial goldfield.

1890. `The Argus,' June 16, p. 6, col. 1:

"Our principal quartz-field."

Quartz-lodes, and Quartz-mining.

See Quartz.

1880. G. Sutherland, `Tales of Goldfields,' p. 32:

"He chose the piece which the New North Clunes now occupy for quartz-mining; but the quartz-lodes were very difficult to follow."

Quartz-reefer, n. a miner engaged in Quartz-reefing, as distinguished from one digging in alluvial. See above.

Quartz-reefing, n. (1) The operation of mining. See Reef, verb. (2) A place where there is gold mixed with quartz.

1861. Mrs. Meredith, `Over the Straits,' c. iv. p. 133:

"You'd best go to a quartz-reefin'. I've been surfacing this good while; but quartz-reefin's the payinest game, now."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. xxix. p. 263:

"[He] had located himself in a quartz-reefing district."

Queensland, n. a colony named after the Queen, on the occasion of its separation from New South Wales, in 1859. Dr. J. D. Lang wanted to call it "Cooksland," and published a book under that title in 1847. Before separation it was known as "the Moreton Bay District."

Queensland Asthma-Herb, n.

See Asthma-Herb.

Queensland Bean. n. See Bean.

Queensland Beech, n. See Beech.

Queensland Ebony, n. See Ebony.

Queensland Hemp, n. See Hemp.

Queensland Kauri, n. another name for Dundathu Pine. See Kauri and Pine.

Queensland Nut, n. a wild fruit-tree, Macadamia ternifolia, F. v. M., N.O. Proteaceae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 40:

"`Queensland Nut.' This tree bears an edible nut of excellent flavour, relished both by Aborigines and Europeans. As it forms a nutritious article of food to the former, timber-getters are not permitted to fell the trees. It is well worth extensive cultivation, for the nuts are always eagerly bought."

Queensland Nutmeg, n. a timber-tree, Myristica insipida, R. Br., N.O. Myristiceae.

Not so strongly aromatic as the true nutmeg.

Queensland Plum, n. See Plum, Sweet.

Queensland Poplar, n. See under Poplar.

Queensland Sorrel, n. a plant, Hibiscus heterophyllus, Vent., N.O. Malvaceae, chewed by the aborigines, as boys chew English Sorrel.

Queenwood, n. a timber-tree, Davidsonia pruriens, F. v. M., N.O. Leguminosae.

Quince, Native, n. i.q. Bitter-bark, Emu-Apple, and Quinine-tree, all which see.

Quince, Wild, n. another name for the Black Ash-tree. See Ash.

Quinine-Tree, n. i.q. Horseradish Tree (q.v.), and used also for the Bitter-bark or Emu-Apple Tree (q.v.).

Quoll, n. the aboriginal name for the Native Cat (q.v.), but not now in use.

1770. J. Banks, `Journal,' Aug. 26 (edition Hooker, 1896), p. 301:

"Another animal was called by the natives je-quoll; it is about the size of, and something like, a pole-cat, of a light brown, spotted with white on the back, and white under the belly... . I took only one individual."

Ibid. p. 323:

"They very often use the article ge, which seems to answer to our English a, as ge gurka--a rope."

[In Glossary]:

"Gurka--a rope." /?/