Austral English Part 173

"Mutton birds were in such vast flocks, that, at a distance, they seemed as thick as bees when swarming."

Ibid. p. 91:

"The Mutton-birds, or Sooty Petrels, are about the size of the Wood Pigeon of England; they are of a dark colour, and are called `Yola' by the natives."

1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. i.

p. 264:

"The princ.i.p.al occupation of these people during this month of the year is taking the Sooty Petrel, called by the Colonists the Mutton Bird, from a fancied resemblance to the taste of that meat."

1846. G. H. Haydon, `Five Years in Australia Felix,'

p. 47:

"The mutton-bird, or sooty petrel ... is about the size of the wood-pigeon of England, and is of a dark colour. These birds are migratory, and are to be seen ranging over the surface of the great southern ocean far from land ... Many millions of these birds are destroyed annually for the sake of their feathers and the oil of the young, which they are made to disgorge by pressing the craws."

1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui,' p. 382:

"The t.i.ti, or mutton-bird, is a seabird which goes inland at night just as the light wanes. The natives light a bright fire, behind which they sit, each armed with a long stick. The t.i.tis, attracted by the light, fly by in great numbers, and are knocked down as quickly as possible; thus in one night several hundreds are often killed, which they preserve in their own fat for future use."

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

vol. i. p. 121:

"The young t.i.ti (mutton-bird), a species of puffin, is caught by the natives in great quant.i.ties, potted in its own fat, and sent as a sort of `pa^te de foie gras' to inland friends."

1863. B. A. Heywood, `Vacation Tour at the Antipodes,' p. 232:

"The natives in the South [of Stewart's Island] trade largely with their brethren in the North, in supplies of the mutton- bird, which they boil down, and pack in its own fat in the large air-bags of sea-weed."

1879. H. n. Moselep `Notes by Naturalist on Challenger, p. 207:

"Besides the prion, there is the `mutton-bird' of the whalers (AEstrelata lessoni), a large Procellanid, as big as a pigeon, white and brown and grey in colour."

1880. Garnet Walch, `Victoria in 1880,' p. 49:

"The crest of the Cape [Wollomai] is a favourite haunt of those elegant but prosaically-named sea-fowl, the `mutton-birds.'. .

One of the sports of the neighbourhood is `mutton-birding.'

1888. A. Reischek, `Transactions of New Zealand Inst.i.tute,'

vol. xxi. art. xlix. p. 378:

"Pa.s.sing through Foveaux Strait, clothed with romantic little islands, we disturbed numerous flocks of mutton-birds (Puffinus tristis), which were playing, feeding, or sleeping on the water."

1891. `The Australasian,' Nov. 14, p. 963, col. 1 (`A Lady in the Kermadecs'):

"The mutton-birds and burrowers come to the island in millions in the breeding season, and the nesting-place of the burrowers is very like a rabbit-warren; while the mutton-bird is content with a few twigs to do duty for a nest."

1891. Rev. J. Stack, `Report of Australasian a.s.sociation for the Advancement of Science,' vol. iii. p. 379:

"Wild pigeons, koko, tui, wekas, and mutton-birds were cooked and preserved in their own fat."

Mutton-bird Tree, n. a tree, Senecio rotundifolius, Hook.: so called because the mutton-birds, especially in Foveaux Straits, New Zealand, are fond of sitting under it.

Mutton-fish, n. a marine univalve mollusc, Haliotis naevosa, Martyn: so called from its flavour when cooked. The empty earsh.e.l.l of Haliotis, especially in New Zealand, Haliotis iris, Martyn, is known as Venus' Ear; Maori name, Paua (q.v.). A species of the same genus is known and eaten at the Cape and in the Channel Islands. (French name Ormer, sc. Oreille de mer.)

1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish and Fisheries of New South Wales,' p. 92:

"Then mutton fish were speared. This is the ear-sh.e.l.l fish (Haliotis naevosa), which was eagerly bought by the Chinese merchants. Only the large muscular sucking disc on foot is used. Before being packed it is boiled and dried.

About 9d. per lb. was given."

Myall, n. and adj. aboriginal word with two different meanings; whether there is any connection between them is uncertain.

(1) n. An acacia tree, Acacia pendula, A. Cunn., and its timber. Various species have special epithets: b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Dalby, True, Weeping, etc.

1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 38:

"The myall-tree (Acacia pendula) is the most picturesque tree of New South Wales. The leaves have the appearance of being frosted, and the branches droop like the weeping willow... . Its perfume is as delightful, and nearly as strong, as sandal-wood."

(p. 10): "They poison the fish by means of a sheet of bark stripped from the Myall-tree (Acacia pendula)."

1846. T. L. Mitch.e.l.l, Report quoted by J. D. Lang, `Cooksland,' p. 495:

"The myall-tree and salt-bush, Acacia pendula and salsolae [sic], so essential to a good run, are also there."

1864. J. S. Moore, `Spring Life Lyrics,' p. 170:

"The guerdon's won! What may it be?

A grave beneath a myall-tree."

1865. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `History of the Discovery and Exploration of Australia,' vol. i. p. 193 [Note]:

"This acacia, which has much the habit of the weeping willow, is found very extensively on the wet, alluvial flats of the west rivers. It sometimes forms scrubs and thickets, which give a characteristic appearance to the interior of this part of Australia, so that, once seen, it can never be again mistaken for scenery of any other country in the world. The myall scrubs are nearly all of Acacia pendula."

1880. Fison and Howitt, `Kamilaroi and Kurnai,' p. 280:

"The myall-wood weapons made at Liverpool Plains were exchanged with the coast natives for others."

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 46:

"Lignum-vitae and b.a.s.t.a.r.d-myall bushes were very common."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 115:

"Weeping or true Myall... . Stock are very fond of the leaves of this tree [Acacia pendula], especially in seasons of drought, and for this reason, and because they eat down the seedlings, it has almost become exterminated in parts of the colonies."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Squatter's Dream,' p. 27:

"A strip of the swaying, streaming myall, of a colour more resembling blue than black."

1890. `The Argus,' June 7, p. 4, col. 2: