Austral English Part 228

(p. 8): "The nearest scrub, in the thickets of which the Blacks could always find an impenetrable stronghold."

1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia,' p. 36:

"A most magnificent forest of trees, called in Australia a `scrub,' to distinguish it from open timbered country."

1890. J. McCarthy and R. M. Praed, `Ladies' Gallery,' p. 252:

"Why, I've been alone in the scrub--in the desert, I mean; you will understand that better."

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 374:

"One more prominent feature in Australian vegetation are the large expanses of the so-called `scrub' of the colonists. This is a dense covering of low bushes varying in composition in different districts, and named according to the predominating element."

1893. A. R. Wallace, `Australasia,' vol. i. p. 46:

"Just as Tartary is characterised by its steppes, America by its prairies, and Africa by its deserts, so Australia has one feature peculiar to itself, and that is its `scrubs.'...

One of the most common terms used by explorers is `Mallee'

scrub, so called from its being composed of dwarf species of Eucalyptus called the `Mallee' by the Natives... . Still more dreaded by the explorer is the `Mulga' scrub, consisting chiefly of dwarf acacias."

1894. E. Favenc, `Tales of the Austral Tropics,' p. 3:

"Even more desolate than the usual dreary-looking scrub of the interior of Australia."

[p. 6]: "The sea of scrub."

1896. A. B. Paterson, `Manfrom Snowy River,' p. 25:

"Born and bred on the mountain-side, He could race through scrub like a kangaroo."

Scrub, adj. and in composition.

The word scrub occurs constantly in composition.

See the following words.

1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 113:

"We gathered the wild raspberries, and mingling them with gee-bongs, and scrub-berries, set forth a dessert."

Scrub-bird, n. name given to two Australian birds, of the genus Atrichia. (Grk. 'atrichos = without hair.) They are the Noisy Scrub-bird, Atrichia clamosa, Gould, and the Rufous S.-b., A. rufescens, Ramsay.

1869. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' `Supplement,' pl. 26:

"The Scrub-bird creeps mouse-like over the bark, or sits on a dripping stem and mocks all surrounding notes."

Scrub-cattle, n. escaped cattle that run wild in the scrub, used as a collective plural of Scrubber (q.v.).

1860. A. L. Gordon, `The Sick Stockrider' [in `Bush-Ballads,'

1876], p. 8:

"'Twas merry 'mid the blackwoods, when we spied the station roofs, To wheel the wild scrub-cattle at the yard, With a running fire of stock-whips and a fiery run of hoofs, Oh! the hardest day was never then too hard."

Scrub-Crab, n. a Queensland fruit. The large dark purple fruit, two inches in diameter, of Sideroxylon australe, Benth. and Hook., N.O. Saponaceae; a tall tree.

Scrub-dangler, n. a wild bullock.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. xvi. p. 193:

"He is one of those infernal scrub-danglers from the Lachlan, come across to get a feed."

Scrub-fowl, n. name applied to birds of the genus Megapodius. See Megapode.

Scrub-Gum, n. See Gum.

Scrub-hen, i.q. Scrub fowl.

Scrub-Ironwood, n. See Ironwood.

Scrub-Myrtle, n. See Myrtle.

Scrub-Oak, n. See Oak.

Scrub-Pine, n. See Pine.

Scrub-Poison-tree, n. See Poison-tree.

Scrub-rider, n. a man who rides through the scrub in search of Scrub-cattle (q.v.).

1881. A. C. Giant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 278:

"A favourite plan among the bold scrub-riders."

Scrub-Robin, n. the modern name for any bird of the genus Drymodes.

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. iii. pl. 10:

"Drymodes Brunneopygia, Gould, Scrub-Robin. I discovered this singular bird in the great Murray Scrub in South [sc. Southern] Australia, where it was tolerably abundant. I have never seen it from any other part of the country, and it is doubtless confined to such portions of Australia as are clothed with a similar character of vegetation."

1895. W. O. Legge, `Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science' (Brisbane), p. 447:

"As regards portions of Gould's English nomenclatures, such as his general term `Robin' for the genera Petroica, Paecilodryas, Eopsaltria, it was found that by retaining the term `Robin' for the best known member of the group (Petroica), and applying a qualifying noun to the allied genera, such titles as Tree-robin, Scrub-robin, and Shrike-robin were easily evolved."

Scrub-Sandalwood, n. See Sandalwood.

Scrub-Tit, n. See Tit.

Scrub-tree, n. any tree that grows in the scrub.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 219: