Austral English Part 289

1892. Malcolm Ross, `Aorangi,' p. 37:

"Almost impenetrable scrub, composed mainly of wild Irishman (Discaria toumatou) and Sword-grass (Aciphylla Colensoi)."

1896. `The Australasian,' Aug. 28, p. 407, col. 5:

"... national appellations are not satisfactory. It seems uncivil to a whole nation--another injustice to Ireland--to call a bramble a wild Irishman, or a pointed grass, with the edges very sharp and the point like a bayonet, a Spaniard. One could not but be amused to find the name Scotchman applied to a smaller kind of Spaniard."

Wild Parsnip, n. See Parsnip.

Wild Rosemary, n. See Rosemary.

Wild Turkey, n. See Turkey.

Wild Yam, n. a parasitic orchid, Gastrodia sesamoides, R. Br., N.O. Orchideae.

Wilga, n. a tree. Called also Dogwood and Willow, Geijera parviflora, Lindl., N.O. Rutaceae. Adopted by the colonists from the aboriginal name.

1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `A Sydney-side Saxon,' p. 123:

"We rode out through a wilga scrub."

(p. 230): "She'd like to be buried there--under a spreading wilga tree."

Willow Myrtle, n. a tree, Agonis flexuosa, De C., N.O. Myrtaceae, with willow-like leaves and pendent branches, native of West Australia, and cultivated for ornament as a greenhouse shrub.

Willow, Native, n. i.q. Boobialla (q.v.), and also another name for the Poison-berry Tree (q.v.).

Willy-Wagtail, n. i.q. Wagtail (q.v.).

Willy Willy, n. native name for a storm on North-west of Australia.

1894. `The Age,' Jan. 20, p. 13, col. 4 [Letter by `Bengalee']:

"Seeing in your issue of this morning a telegraphic report of a `willy willy' in the north-west portion of West Australia, it may be of interest to hear a little about these terrific storms of wind and rain. The portion of the western coast most severely visited by these scourges is said to be between the North-wet Cape and Roebuck Bay; they sometimes reach as far south as Carnarvon and north as far as Derby. The approach of one of these storms is generally heralded by a day or too of hot, oppressive weather, and a peculiar haze. Those having barometers are warned of atmospheric disturbances; at other times they come up very suddenly. The immense watercourses to be seen in the north-west country, the bed of the Yule River, near Roebourne, for instance, and many other large creeks and rivers, prove the terrible force and volume of water that falls during the continuance of one of these storms. The bed of the Yule River is fully a mile wide, and the flood marks on some of the trees are sufficient proof of the immense floods that sometimes occur. Even in sheltered creeks and harbours the wind is so violent that luggers and other small craft are blown clean over the mangrove bushes and left high and dry, sometimes a considerable distance inland. The willy willy is the name given to these periodical storms by the natives in the north-west."

1895. C. M. Officer, Private Letter:

"In the valley of the Murray between Swan Hill and Wentworth, in the summer time during calm weather, there are to be seen numerous whirlwinds, carrying up their columns of dust many yards into the air. These are called by the name willy willy."

Windmill J.P., expression formerly used in New South Wales for any J.P. who was ill-educated and supposed to sign his name with a cross x.

Wine-berry, n. See Tutu. In Australia, the name is given to Polyosma cunninghamii, Benn., N.O. Saxifrageae.

Winery, n. an establishment for making wines. An American word which is being adopted in Australia.

1893. `The Argus,' Oct. 6, p. 7, col. 6 [Letter headed `Wineries']:

"I would suggest that the idea of small local wineries, each running on its own lines, be abandoned, and one large company formed, having its headquarters in Melbourne with wineries in various centres. The grapes could be brought to these depots by the growers, just as the milk is now brought to the creameries."

Winter Cherry, n. See Balloon Vine.

Winter Country, in New Zealand (South Island), land so far unaffected by snow that stock is wintered on it.

Wire-grass, and Wiry-grass. See Grass.

1883. E. M. Curr, `Recollections of Squatting in Victoria'

(1841-1851), p. 81:

"Sparsely-scattered tussocks of the primest descriptions; the wire-grass, however, largely predominating over the kangaroo-grass."

Wirrah, n. aboriginal name for a fish of New South Wales, Plectropoma ocellatum, Gunth.

1884. E. P. Ramsav. `Fisheries Exhibition Literature,'

vol. v. p. 311:

"Another of the Percidae ... the wirrah of the fishermen, is more plentiful. It is when first caught a handsome fish, of a pale olive-brown or olive-green colour, with numerous bright blue dots on spots of a lighter tint."

Witchetty, n. native name for the grub-like larva of one or more species of longicorn beetles. The natives dig it out of the roots of shrubs, decaying timber and earth, in which it lives, and eat it with relish. It is sometimes even roasted and eaten by white children.

1894. R. Lydekker, `Marsupialia,' p. 191:

"Dr. Stirling writes ... [The marsupial mole] was fed on the `witchetty' (a kind of grub) ... two or three small grubs, or a single large one, being given daily."

Wiwi, n. Maori name for a jointed rush.

1842. W. R. Wade, `A Journey in the Northern Island of New Zealand,' `New Zealand Reader,' p. 122:

"The roof is usually completed with a thick coating of wiwi (a small rush), and then the sides receive a second coating of raupo, and sometimes of the wiwi over all."

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 380:

"[The walls] were lined outside with the wiwi or fine grass."

[See also Raupo, 1843 quotation.]

Wiwi/2, n. slang name for a Frenchman, from "Oui, Oui!"

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 94:

"If I had sold the land to the white missionaries, might they not have sold it again to the Wiwi (Frenchmen) or Americans."

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

vol. i. p. 14:

"De Surville's painful mode of revenge, and the severe chastisement which the retaliatory murder of Marion brought on the natives, rendered the Wee-wees (Oui, oui), or people of the tribe of Marion, hateful to the New Zealanders for the next half-century."