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 - Edward Ellis Morris

<hw>Wax-Eye</hw>, i.q. one of the many names for the bird called Silver-Eye, White-Eye, Blight-Bird, etc. See Zosterops.

<hw>Waybung</hw>, n. aboriginal name for an Australian Chough, Corcorax melanoramphus, Vieill.

<hw>Weaver-bird</hw>, n. The English name Weaver-bird, in its present broad sense as applied to a wide variety of birds, is modern. It alludes to their dexterity in "weaving" their nests. It is applied in Australia to Callornis metallica, a kind of Starling.

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 96:

"The elegant, metallic-looking, `glossy starlings' (Callornis metallica) greedily swoop, with a horrible shriek, upon the fruit of the Australian cardamom tree. The ingenious nests of this bird were found in the scrubs near Herbert Vale—a great many in the same tree. Although this bird is a starling, the colonists call it `weaver-bird.'"

<hw>Wedge-bill</hw>, n. an Australian bird. This English name for a species of humming-bird is applied in Australia to Sphenostoma cristata, Gould.

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

"Wedge-bill. [Close season.] From 1st day of August to 10th day of December next following in each year."

<hw>Weeping-Gum</hw>. See Gum.

<hw>Weeping-Myall</hw>, n. an Australian tree, Acacia pendula, Cunn., N.O. Leguminosae. See Myall.