Austral English Part 150

"Insects which, in the larva state, have the faculty of elaborating from the juices of the gum-leaves on which they live a glutinous and saccharine fluid, whereof they construct for themselves little conical domiciles."

1878. R. Brough Smyth, `The Aborigines of Victoria,' vol. i.

p. 211:

"Another variety of manna is the secretion of the pupa of an insect of the Psylla family and obtains the name of lerp among the aborigines. At certain seasons of the year it is very abundant on the leaves of E. dumosa, or mallee scrub ..."

Lift, v. tr. to drive to market from the run.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Squatter's Dream,' c. iv. p. 45:

"I haven't lifted a finer mob this season."

1890. `The Argus,' June 14, p. 4, col. 2:

"We lifted 7000 sheep."

Light-horseman, n. obsolete name for a fish; probably the fish now called a Sweep (q.v.).

1789. W. Tench, `Expedition to Botany Bay,' p. 129:

"The French once caught [in Botany Bay] near two thousand fish in one day, of a species of grouper, to which, from the form of a bone in the head resembling a helmet, we have given the name of light horseman."

1793. J. Hunter, `Voyage,' p. 410 [Aboriginal Vocabulary]:

"Woolamie, a fish called a light-horseman."

[But see Wollomai.]

1802. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,' c. iv.

p. 78:

"A boat belonging to the Sirius caught near fifty large fish, which were called light-hors.e.m.e.n from a bone that grew out of the head like a helmet."

Lightwood, n. a name given to various trees.

See Blackwood. It is chiefly applied to Acacia melanoxylon, R. Br., N.O. Leguminosae. See quotations, 1843 and 1889.

1843. I. Backhouse. `Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies,' p. 48:

"Lightwood--Acacia Melanoxylon ... It derives its name from swimming in water, while the other woods of V. D. Land, except the pines, generally sink. In some parts of the Colony it is called Blackwood, on account of its dark colour."

1852. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes' (edition 1855), p. 515:

"Some immense logs of `light wood,' a non lucendo, darker than mahogany."

1864. J. Rogers, `New Rush,' p. 17:

"Arms so brown and bare, to look at them Recalls to mind the lightwood's rugged stem."

1866. H. Simc.o.x, `Rustic Rambles,' p. 54:

"The numerous lightwood trees with sombre shade Tend to enhance the richness of the glade."

1884. Rolf Boldrewood, `Melbourne Memories,' c. xv. p. 111:

"The ex-owner of Lyne wished himself back among the old lightwood trees."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 359:

"Called `Blackwood' on account of the very dark colour of the mature wood. It is sometimes called `Lightwood' (chiefly in South Tasmania, while the other name is given in North Tasmania and other places), but this is an inappropriate name. It is in allusion to its weight as compared with Eucalyptus timbers. It is the `Black Sally' of Western New South Wales, the `Hickory'

of the southern portion of that colony, and is sometimes called `Silver Wattle.' This is considered by some people to be the most valuable of all Australian timbers.

It is hard and close-grained; much valued for furniture, picture-frames, cabinet-work, fencing, bridges, etc., railway, and other carriages, boat-building, for tool-handles, gun-stocks, naves of wheels, crutches, parts of organs, pianofortes (sound-boards and actions), etc."

Light Yellow-wood, i.q. Long-Jack (q.v.).

Lignum (1), or Lignum-Vitae, n.

The name is applied to several trees, as Myrtus acmenioides, F. v. M., called also White Myrtle; Acacia falcata, Willd., N.O. Leguminosae, called also Hickory and Sally; but chiefly to Eucalyptus polyanthema, Schau., N.O. Myrtaceae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 505:

"[E. polyanthema.] The `Red Box' of South-eastern Australia. Called also `Brown Box,' `Grey Box,' and `b.a.s.t.a.r.d Box.' `Poplar-leaved Gum' is another name, but it is most commonly known as `Lignum Vitae' because of its tough and hard wood. Great durability is attributed to this wood, though the stems often become hollow in age, and thus timber of large dimensions is not readily afforded. It is much sought after for cogs, naves and felloes; it is also much in demand for slabs in mines, while for fuel it is unsurpa.s.sed. (Mueller.) Its great hardness is against its general use."

(2) A bushman's contraction for any species of the wiry plants called polygonum.

1880. Mrs. Meredith, `Tasmanian Friends and Foes,' [writing of the Lachlan district, New South Wales] p. 180:

"The poor emus had got down into the creek amongst the lignum bushes for a little shade ... I do not know what a botanist would call them; they are something like cane, but with large leaves, which all animals are fond of, and they grow about eight feet high in the creeks and gullies."

1896. H. Lawson, `When the World was Wide,' p. 135:

"By mulga scrub and lignum plain."

Lilac, n. name given in Australia to the tree Melia composita, Willd., N.O. Meliaceae, called Cape Lilac. It is not endemic in Australia, and is called "Persian Lilac "in India. In Tasmania the name of Native Lilac is given to Prostanthera rotundifolia, R. Br., N.O. l.a.b.i.atae, and by Mrs. Meredith to Tetratheca juncea, Smith, of the Linnean Order, Octandria.

1793. J. E. Smith, `Specimen of Botany of New Holland,' p. 5:

"Tetratheca juncea, Rushy Tetratheca [with plate]."

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. ii. p. 69:

"A little purple flower, which is equally common, so vividly recalls to my mind, both by its scent and colour, an Old-World favorite, that I always know it as the native Lilac (Tetratheca juncea)."

Lily, Darling, n. a bulbous plant, Crinum flaccidum, Herb., N.O. Amaryllideae; called also the Murray Lily. (See Lily, Murray.)

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 20:

"The `Darling Lily.' This exceedingly handsome white-flowered plant, which grows back from the Darling, has bulbs which yield a fair arrowroot. On one occasion, near the town of Wilcannia, a man earned a handsome sum by making this substance when flour was all but unattainable."

Lily, Flax, n. See Flax-Lily, and Flax, New Zealand.