Austral English Part 79

"The convict system ceased in New South Wales in 1839; but `exiles' as they were termed, i.e. men who had pa.s.sed their probation at home, were forwarded till 1843."

Expiree, n. a convict whose term of sentence had expired.

1852. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes' (ed. 1885), p. 107:

"A hireling convict - emancipist, expiree, or ticket of leave."

Expiree, adj. See preceding.

1847. J. D. Lang, `Cooksland,' p. 271:

"Very many of their servants, being old hands or expiree convicts from New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, are thoroughly unprincipled men."

1883. E. M. Curr, `Recollections of Squatting in Victoria' (1841-1351), p. 40:

"Hiring men in Melbourne in 1841 was not by any means an agreeable job, as wages were high, and labourers (almost all old gaol-birds and expiree convicts) exceedingly independent and rowdy."

F

Fairy Gardens, n. a miner's term, explained in quotation.

1852. F. Lancelott, `Australia, as it is', vol. ii. p. 221:

"On the south-eastern portion of this county is the world-famed Burra Burra copper mine... . Some of the cuttings are through solid blocks of ore, which brilliantly glitter as you pa.s.s with a lighted candle, while others are formed in veins of malachite, and from their rich variegated green appearance are not inaptly called by the miners `Fairy gardens.'"

Fake-mucker, n. a Tasmanian name for the Dusky Robin (Petroica vittata). See Robin.

Falcon, n. English bird-name. The Australian species are--

Black Falcon-- Falco subniger, Gray.

Black-cheeked F.-- F. melanogenys, Gould.

Grey F.-- F. hypoleucus, Gould.

Little F.-- F. lunulatus, Lath.

See also Nankeen-Hawk.

Fantail, n. bird-name applied in England to a pigeon; in Australia and New Zealand, to the little birds of the genus Rhipidura (q.v.). It is a fly-catcher. The Australian species are--

Rhipidura albiscapa, Gould.

Black-and-White Fantail (called also the Wagtail, q.v.)-- R. tricolor, Vieill.

Dusky F.-- R. diemenensis, Sharpe.

Northern F.-- R. setosa, Quoy and Gaim.

Pheasant F.-- Rhipidura phasiana, De Vis.

Rufous F.-- R. rufifrons, Lath.

Western F.-- R. preissi, Cab.

White-tailed F.-- R. albicauda, North.

Wood F.-- R. dryas, Gould.

The New Zealand species are--

Black F.-- Rhipidura fuliginosa, Sparrm. (Tiwaiwaka).

Pied F.-- R. flabellifera, Gmel. (Piwakawaka).

In Tasmania, the R. diemenensis is called the Cranky Fantail, because of its antics.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Journal,' vol. ii. p. 80:

"We also observed the ... fantailed fly-catcher (Rhipidura)."

1888. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. i. p. 69:

"The Red Fantail, ever flitting about with broadly expanded tail, and performing all manner of fantastic evolutions, in its diligent pursuit of gnats and flies, is one of the most pleasing and attractive objects in the New Zealand forest. It is very tame and familiar."

Farinaceous City, or Village, n. a playful name for Adelaide. The allusion is to wheat being the leading export of South Australia.

1873. A. Trollope, `Australia and New Zealand,'

vol. ii. p. 184:

"[Adelaide] has also been nicknamed the Farinaceous City.

A little gentle ridicule is no doubt intended to be conveyed by the word."

Fat-cake, n. ridiculous name sometimes applied to Eucalyptus leuc.o.xylon, F. v. M., according to Maiden (`Useful Native Plants,' p. 471).

Fat-hen, n. a kind of wild spinach.

In England the name is applied to various plants of thick foliage.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 40:

"The fat-hen (Atriplex) ..."

1872. C. H. Eden, `My Wife and I in Queensland,' p. 120:

"Another wild vegetable brew in the sandy beds of the rivers and creeks, called `fat-hen.' It was exactly like spinach, and not only most agreeable but also an excellent anti-s...o...b..tic, a useful property, for scurvy is not an unknown thing in the bush by any means."

1881. A.C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 156: