Austral English Part 235

Brown S.-T.-- C. brunnea, Gould.

Buff-bellied S.-T.-- C. rufiventris, Gould.

Grey S.-T.-- C. harmonica, Lath.; called also Port Jackson Thrush (q.v.).

Little Shrike-Thrush-- Collyriocincla parvula, Gould.

Pale-bellied S.-T.-- C. pallidirostris, Sharpe.

Rufous-breasted S.-T.-- C. rufigaster, Gould.

Whistling S.-T.-- C. rectirostris, Jard. and Selb.; see Duke w.i.l.l.y.

1896. `The Melburnian,' Aug. 28, p. 54:

"With gathering shadows the spotted thrush of England gives forth from the top-most pine branch his full and varied notes; notes which no Australian bird can challenge, not even the shrike-thrush on the hill side, piping hard to rival his song every bright spring morning."

Shrike-t.i.t, n. a genus of Australian Shrikes, Falcunculus (q.v.). The species are--Falcunculus frontatus, Lath.; White-bellied S.-T., F. leucogaster, Gould.

1890. `Victorian Statutes--Game Act' (Third Schedule):

"Shrike-t.i.t. [Close season.] From the 1st day of August to the 10th day of December next following in each year."

Shrimp, n. The only true shrimp (Crangon) which Australian waters are known to possess is found in the Gulf of St. Vincent, South Australia.

(Tenison-Woods.) In Tasmania, the Prawn (Penoeus spp.) is called a Shrimp.

1883. `Royal Commission, Report on Fisheries of Tasmania,'

p. 9:

"The prawn (Penoeus sp.), locally known among fishermen as the shrimp, abounds all around our coasts."

Sida-weed, n. i.q. Queensland Hemp.

See Hemp.

Signed Servant, n. obsolete contraction for a.s.signed Servant (q.v.).

Silky-Oak, n. a tree, often tall, Grevillea robusta, Cunn., N.O. Proteaceae, producing a useful timber in demand for various purposes. See Grevillea, Maple, and Oak.

Silver, or Silver-fish, n. a Tasmanian name for Caranx georgia.n.u.s, Cuv. and Val., family Carangidae, the White or Silver Trevally.

See Trevally.

1875. `Spectator' (Melbourne), June 19, 1881:

"Common fish such as ... garfish, strangers, silvers, and others."

1880. Mrs. Meredith, `Tasmanian Friends and Foes,' p. 252 [Footnote]:

"To convey anything like a correct idea of this extremely beautiful fish, it should be `laid in' with a ground of burnished silver, and the delicate tints added. The skin is scaleless, and like satin, embossed all over in little raised freckles, and with symmetrical dark lines, resembling the veining of a leaf. In quality they are a good deal like mullet."

Silver-Belly, n. name given (1) in New South Wales, to the fish Silver-Bream (q.v.); (2) in Tasmania, to various species of Atherinidae.

Silver-Bream, or White-Bream, n.

a New South Wales fish, Gerres ovatus, Gunth., family Percidae; also called Silver-Belly (q.v.).

For another use, see Trevally.

1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish of New South Wales,'

p. 43:

"Mr. Hill, in the series of essays already referred to, speaks of a silver-bream or white-bream. It is probable he refers to Gerres ovatus, a common fish of very compressed form, and very protractile mouth. They probably never enter fresh-water... . It is necessary to cook the silver-belly, as it is often called, perfectly fresh."

Silver-Eye, n. a bird-name. Same as Wax-eye, White-eye, or Blight-bird (q.v.).

1888. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. i. p. 77:

"Zosterops caerulescens, Lath. I have myself arrived at the conclusion that the Silver-eye, although identical with the Australian bird, is in reality an indigenous species."

1888. James Thomas, `To a Silver Eye:' `Australian Poets 1788-1888' (edition Sladen), p. 550:

"Thou merry little silver-eye, In yonder trailing vine, I, pa.s.sing by this morning, spied That ivy-built nest of thine."

Silver Jew-fish, n. a New South Wales name for the young of the fish called Teraglin, or of the true Jew-fish (q.v.); it is uncertain which.

Silver-leaf Boree, n. i.q. Boree (q.v.).

Silver-Perch, n. a fresh-water fish, i.q. Bidyan Ruffe (q.v.).

Silver-tail, n. a bush term for a "swell": a man who goes to the manager's house, not to the men's hut.

See Hut.

1890. A. J. Vogan, `The Black Police,' p. 116:

"A select circle of long-limbed members of those upper circles who belong to the genus termed in Australian parlance `silver-tailed,' in distinction to the `copper-tailed'

democratic cla.s.ses."

Silver-Trevally, n. See Trevally.

Sittella, n. an Australian genus of small creeping-birds, called also Tree-Runners (q.v.).

Sittella is the Latin diminutive of sitta, which is from the Greek sittae, a woodp.e.c.k.e.r, whose habits the Tree-runners or Sittellae have.

Gould's enumeration of the species is given in quotation.

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. iv.:

"Sittella chrysoptera, Orange-winged Sittella; S. leucocephala, Gould, White-headed S.; S. leucoptera,Gould, White-winged S.; S. pileata, Gould, Black-capped S.; S. tenuirostris, Gould, Slender-billed S.

1869. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia' (Supplement):

"Sittella Striata, Gould, Striated Sittella."