Austral English Part 59

1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 346:

"The karaka-tree of New Zealand (Corynocarpus laevigata), also called kopi by the natives, and cow-tree by Europeans (from that animal being partial to its leaves), grows luxuriantly in Sydney."

Crab, n. Of the various Australian species of this marine crustacean, Scylla serrata alone is large enough to be much used as food, and it is seldom caught. In Tasmania and Victoria, Pseudocarcinus gigas, called the King-Crab, which reaches a weight of 20 lbs., is occasionally brought to market. There is only one fresh-water crab known in Australia--Telphusa transversa.

1896. Spencer and Hall, `Horne Expedition in Central Australia,' Zoology, p. 228:

"In the case of Telphusa transversa, the fresh-water crab, the banks of certain water holes are riddled with its burrows."

Crab-hole, n. a hole leading into a pit-like burrow, made originally by a burrowing crayfish, and often afterwards increased in size by the draining into it of water.

The burrows are made by crayfish belonging to the genera Engaeus and Astacopsis, which are popularly known as land-crabs.

1848. Letter by Mrs. Perry, given in Canon Goodman's `Church in Victoria, during Episcopate of Bishop Perry,' p. 72:

"Full of crab holes, which are exceedingly dangerous for the horses. There are holes varying in depth from one to three feet, and the smallest of them wide enough to admit the foot of a horse: nothing more likely than that a horse should break its leg in one... . These holes are formed by a small land-crab and then gradually enlarged by the water draining into them."

1859. H. Kingsley, `Geoffrey Hamlyn,' p. 368:

"This brute put his foot in a crabhole, and came down, rolling on my leg."

1875. Wood and Lapham, `Waiting for the Mail,' p. 49:

"Across the creek we went ... now tripping over tussocks, now falling into crab holes."

Crab-tree, n. i.q. Bitter-bark (q.v.).

Cradle, n. common in Australia, but of Californian origin. "A trough on rockers in which auriferous earth or sand is shaken in water, in order to separate and collect the gold." (`O.E.D.')

1849. `Ill.u.s.trated London News,' Nov. 17, p. 325, col. 1 (`O.E.D.'): [This applies to California, and is before the Australian diggings began]:

"Two men can keep each other steadily at work, the one digging and carrying the earth in a bucket, and the other was.h.i.+ng and rocking the cradle."

1851. Letter by Mrs. Perry, quoted in Canon Goodman's `Church in Victoria during Episcopate of Bishop Perry,' p. 171:

"The streets are full of cradles and drays packed for the journey."

1858. T. McCombie, `History of Victoria,' c. xv. p. 215:

"Cradles and tin dishes to supply the digging parties."

1865. F. H. Nixon, `Peter Perfume,' p. 56:

"They had cradles by dozens and picks by the score."

1884. T. Bracken, `Lays of Maori,' p. 154:

"The music of the puddling mill, the cradle, and the tub."

Cradle, v. tr. to wash auriferous gravel in a miner's cradle.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. 21, p. 197:

"The laborious process of was.h.i.+ng and `cradling' the ore."

Crake, n. common English bird-name. The Australian varieties are--

Little Crake-- Porzana pal.u.s.tris, Gould.

Spotless C.-- P. tabuensis, Gmel.

Spotted C.-- P. fluminea, Gould.

White-browed C.-- P. cinereus, Vieill.

See also Swamp-crake.

Cranberry, Native, n. called also Ground-berry; name given to three Australian shrubs.

(1) Styphelia (formerly Lissanthe) humifusa, Persoon, N.O. Epacrideae.

1834. J. Ross, `Van Diemen's Land Annual,' p. 133:

"Astroloma humifusum. The native cranberry has a fruit of a green, reddish, or whitish colour, about the size of a black currant, consisting of a viscid apple-flavoured pulp inclosing a large seed; this fruit grows singly on the trailing stems of a small shrub resembling juniper, bearing beautiful scarlet blossoms in autumn."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 8:

"Commonly called `ground-berry.' In Tasmania the fruits are often called native cranberries. The fruits of these dwarf shrubs are much appreciated by school-boys and aboriginals.

They have a viscid, sweetish pulp, with a relatively large stone. The pulp is described by some as being apple-flavoured, though I have always failed to make out any distinct flavour."

(2) Styphelia sapida, F. v. M., N.O. Epacrideae.

1866. `Treasury of Botany,' p. 688 (`O.E.D.'):

"Lissanthe sapida, a native of South-eastern Australia, is called the Australian Cranberry, on account of its resemblance both in size and colour to our European cranberry, Vaccinium Oxyconos."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 39:

"Native cranberry. The fruit is edible. It is something like the cranberry of Europe both in size and colour, but its flesh is thin, and has been likened to that of the Siberian crab.

[Found in] New South Wales."

(3) Pernettya tasmanica, Hook., N.O. Ericeae (peculiar to Tasmania).

Crane, n. common English bird-name. In Australia used for (1) the Native-Companion (q.v.), Grus australia.n.u.s, Gould; (2) various Herons, especially in New Zealand, where the varieties are--Blue Crane (Matuku), Ardea sacra, Gmel.; White Crane (Kotuku), Ardea egretta, Gmel. See Kotuku and Nankeen Crane.

The Cranes and the Herons are often popularly confused.

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. vi. pl. 53:

"Ardea Novae-Hollandiae, Lath., White-fronted Heron, Blue Crane of the colonists. Herodias Jugularis, Blue Reef Heron, Blue Crane, colonists of Port Essington."