Austral English Part 29

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

"Red Bottle-brush. The flowers of some species of Callistemon are like bottle-brushes in shape."

Bottle-Gourd, n. an Australian plant, Lagenaria vulgaris, Ser., N.O. Cucurbitaceae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 192:

"Bottle Gourd. This plant, so plentiful along the tropical coast of Queensland, is said to be a dangerous poison. It is said that some sailors were killed by drinking beer that had been standing for some time in a bottle formed of one of these fruits. (F. M. Bailey.)"

Bottle-Swallow, n. a popular name for the bird Lagenoplastis ariel, otherwise called the Fairy Martin. See Martin. The name refers to the bird's peculiar retort shaped nest. Lagenoplashs is from the Greek lagaenos, a flagon, and plautaes, a modeller.

The nests are often constructed in cl.u.s.ters under rocks or the eaves of buildings. The bird is widely distributed in Australia, and has occurred in Tasmania.

Bottle-tree, n. an Australian tree, various species of Sterculia, i.q. Kurrajong (q.v.). So named from its appearance. See quotations.

1846. C. P. Hodgson, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 264:

"The sterculia, or bottle-tree, is a very singular curiosity.

It generally varies in shape between a soda-water and port-wine bottle, narrow at the basis, gradually widening at the middle, and tapering towards the neck."

1848. L. Leichhardt, Letter in `Cooksland, by J. D. Lang, p. 91:

"The most interesting tree of this Rosewood Brush is the true bottle-tree, a strange-looking unseemly tree, which swells slightly four to five feet high, and then tapers rapidly into a small diameter; the foliage is thin, the crown scanty and irregular, the leaves lanceolate, of a greyish green; the height of the whole tree is about forty-five feet."

1865. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `History of the Discovery and Exploration of Australia,' vol. i. p. 127:

"It was on this range (Lat. 26 degrees, 42') that Mitch.e.l.l saw the bottle-tree for the first time. It grew like an enormous pear-shaped turnip, with only a small portion of the root in the ground."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 60:

"A `Kurrajong.' The `Bottle-tree' of N.E. Australia, and also called `Gouty-stem,' on account of the extraordinary shape of the trunk. It is the `Binkey' of the aboriginals.

"The stem abounds in a mucilaginous substance resembling pure tragacanth, which is wholesome and nutritious, and is said to be used as an article of food by the aborigines in cases of extreme need. A similar clear jelly is obtainable by pouring boiling water on chips of the wood."

Bottom, n. in gold-mining, the old river-bed upon which the wash-dirt rests, and upon which the richest alluvial gold is found; sometimes called the gutter.

1887. H. H. Hayter, `Christmas Adventure,' p. 5:

"We reached the bottom, but did not find gold."

Bottom, v. to get to the bedrock, or clay, below which it was useless to sink (gold-mining).

1858. T. McCombie, `History of Victoria,' c. xv. p. 219:

"In their anxiety to bottom their claims, they not seldom threw away the richest stuff."

Boundary-rider, n. a man who rides round the fences of a station to see that they are in order.

1890. E. W. Hornung, `A Bride from the Bush,' p. 279:

"A boundary-rider is not a `boss' in the Bush, but he is an important personage in his way. He sees that the sheep in his paddock draw to the water, that there is water for them to draw to, and that the fences and gates are in order. He is paid fairly, and has a fine, free, solitary life."

1892. `Scribner's Magazine,' Feb., p. 147:

"The manager's lieutenants are the `boundary-riders,' whose duty it is to patrol the estate and keep him informed upon every portion of it."

Bower-bird n. Australian bird. See quotation, 1891. See Ptilonorhynchinae. The following are the varieties---

Fawn-breasted Bower-bird-- Chlamydoderea cerviniventris, Gould.

Golden B.--

Prionodura newtoniana, De Vis.

Great B.--

Chlambydodera nuchalis, Gould (`Birds of Australia,'

vol.iv. pl. 9).

Queensland B.--

C. orientalis, Gould.

Satin B.--

Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, Vieillot.

Spotted B.--

Chlamydodera maculata, Gould (ibid. pl. 8).

Yellow-spotted B.--

C. gutttata, Gould.

And the Regent-bird (q.v.).

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 140:

"The same person had the last season found, to his surprise, the playhouse, or bower, of the Australian satin bower-bird."

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 28:

"Any shred of gla.s.s or metal which arrests the eye or reflects the rays of the sun is a gem in the bower-bird's collection, which seems in a sense to parody the art decorations of a modern home."

1891. `Guide to Zoological Gardens, Melbourne':

"In one is a representation of the playing place of the spotted bowerbird. These bowers are quite independent of the birds'

nests, which are built on neighbouring trees. They first construct a covered pa.s.sage or bower about three feet long, and near it they place every white or bright object they can find, such as the bleached bones of animals, pieces of white or coloured stone, feathers, sh.e.l.ls, etc., etc.; the feathers they place on end. When these curious playing places were first discovered, they were thought to be made by the native women for the amus.e.m.e.nt of their children. More than a bushel of small pieces of bleached bones or sh.e.l.ls are often found at one of these curious sporting places. Sometimes a dozen or more birds will a.s.semble, and they delight in chasing each other through the bower and playing about it."