Austral English / A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia

by Edward Ellis Morris

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 105:

"There were two splitters located near us . . . they had a licence to split timber on the crown lands."

1870. A. L. Gordon, `Bush Ballads—Wolf and Hound,' p. 32:

"At the splitter's tent I had seen the track
Of horse hoofs, fresh on the sward."

<hw>Spoonbill</hw>, <i>n</i>. a bird-name widely used. The Australian species are—

Royal Spoonbill—
<i>Platalea regia</i>.

Yellow-billed S.—
<i>P. flavipes</i>.

<i>P. regia</i> has a fine crest in the breeding season; hence the name.

1863. M. K. Beveridge, `Gatherings among Gum-trees,' p. 79:

"The sun is sinking in the western sky,
And ibises and spoonbills thither fly.