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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



141 words match “AUSTRALIAN”

VERTICAL a.
h present their edges to the earth and the sky, and their faces to the horizon, as in the Australian species of Eucalyptus. -- Vertical limb, a graduated arc attached to an instrument, as a theodolite, for measuring vertical angles. -- Vertical line. (a) (Dialing) A line perpendicular to the horizon.…
VULPINE a.
he fox; resembling the fox; foxy; cunning; crafty; artful. Vulpine phalangist (Zoöl.), an Australian carnivorous marsupial (Phalangista, or Trichosurus, vulpina); -- called also vulpine phalanger, and vulpine opossum.
WADDYWOOD n.
An Australian tree (Pittosporum bicolor); also, its wood, used in making waddies.
WAIT--WHILE n.
One of the Australian wattle trees (Acacia colletioides), so called from the impenetrability of the thicket which it makes.
WALER n.
A horse imported from New South Wales; also, any Australian horse. [Colloq.] Kipling.
WARRIN n.
An Australian lorikeet (Trichoglossus multicolor) remarkable for the variety and brilliancy of its colors; -- called also blue- bellied lorikeet, and blue-bellied parrot.
WATTLE n.
The astringent bark of several Australian trees of the genus Acacia, used in tanning; -- called also wattle bark.
WATTLEBIRD n.
The Australian brush turkey.
WAYBUNG n.
An Australian insessorial bird (Corcorax melanorhamphus) noted for the curious actions of the male during the breeding season. It is black with a white patch on each wing.
WEDGE-TAILED a.
-- said of certain birds. See Illust. of Wood hoopoe, under Wood. Wedge-tailed eagle, an Australian eagle (Aquila audax) which feeds on various small species of kangaroos, and on lambs; -- called also mountain eagle, bold eagle, and eagle hawk. -- Wedge-tailed gull, an arctic gull (Rhodostethia rosea) in which the pl…
WEDGEBILL n.
An Australian crested insessorial bird (Sphenostoma cristatum) having a wedge-shaped bill. Its color is dull brown, like the earth of the plains where it lives.
WEETWEET n.
A throwing toy, or implement, of the Australian aborigines, consisting of a cigar-shaped stick fastened at one end to a flexible twig. It weighs in all about two ounces, and is about two feet long.
WEROOLE n.
An Australian lorikeet (Ptilosclera versicolor) noted for the variety of its colors; -- called also varied lorikeet.
WHISTLING n.
-- Whistling coot (Zoöl.), the American black scoter. -- Whistling Dick. (Zoöl.) (a) An Australian shrike thrush (Colluricincla Selbii). (b) The song thrush. [Prov. Eng.] -- Whistling duck. (Zoöl.) (a) The golden-eye. (b) A tree duck. -- Whistling eagle (Zoöl.), a small Australian eagle (Haliastur sphenurus); -- cal…
WOMBAT n.
Any one of three species of Australian burrowing marsupials of the genus Phascolomys, especially the common species (P. ursinus). They are nocturnal in their habits, and feed mostly on roots.
WOOD n.
Called also bridal duck, summer duck, and wood widgeon. (b) The hooded merganser. (c) The Australian maned goose (Chlamydochen jubata). -- Wood echo, an echo from the wood. -- Wood engraver. (a) An engraver on wood. (b) (Zoöl.) Any of several species of small beetles whose larvæ bore beneath the bark of trees, and ex…
WOODY a.
tersweet, 3 (a). -- Woody pear (Bot.), the inedible, woody, pear-shaped fruit of several Australian proteaceous trees of the genus Xylomelum; -- called also wooden pear.
WOOLLY a.
r, or larva of the American ermine moth (Spilosoma Virginica). -- Woolly butt (Bot.), an Australian tree (Eucalyptus longifolia), so named because of its fibrous bark. -- Woolly louse (Zoöl.), a plant louse (Schizoneura, or Erisoma, lanigera) which is often very injurious to the apple tree. It is covered with a dense…
WURRALUH n.
The Australian white-quilled honey eater (Entomyza albipennis).
WYLA n.
A helmeted Australian cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus); -- called also funeral cockatoo.
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