(p. 8): "The nearest scrub, in the thickets of which the Blacks could always find an impenetrable stronghold."
1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia," p. 36:
"A most magnificent forest of trees, called in Australia a `scrub," to distinguish it from open timbered country."
1890. J. McCarthy and R. M. Praed, `Ladies" Gallery," p. 252:
"Why, I"ve been alone in the scrub--in the desert, I mean; you will understand that better."
1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals," p. 374:
"One more prominent feature in Australian vegetation are the large expanses of the so-called `scrub" of the colonists. This is a dense covering of low bushes varying in composition in different districts, and named according to the predominating element."
1893. A. R. Wallace, `Australasia," vol. i. p. 46:
"Just as Tartary is characterised by its steppes, America by its prairies, and Africa by its deserts, so Australia has one feature peculiar to itself, and that is its `scrubs."...
One of the most common terms used by explorers is `Mallee"
scrub, so called from its being composed of dwarf species of Eucalyptus called the `Mallee" by the Natives... . Still more dreaded by the explorer is the `Mulga" scrub, consisting chiefly of dwarf acacias."
1894. E. Favenc, `Tales of the Austral Tropics," p. 3:
"Even more desolate than the usual dreary-looking scrub of the interior of Australia."
[p. 6]: "The sea of scrub."
1896. A. B. Paterson, `Manfrom Snowy River," p. 25:
"Born and bred on the mountain-side, He could race through scrub like a kangaroo."
Scrub, adj. and in composition.
The word scrub occurs constantly in composition.
See the following words.
1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life," p. 113:
"We gathered the wild raspberries, and mingling them with gee-bongs, and scrub-berries, set forth a dessert."
Scrub-bird, n. name given to two Australian birds, of the genus Atrichia. (Grk. "atrichos = without hair.) They are the Noisy Scrub-bird, Atrichia clamosa, Gould, and the Rufous S.-b., A. rufescens, Ramsay.
1869. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia," `Supplement," pl. 26:
"The Scrub-bird creeps mouse-like over the bark, or sits on a dripping stem and mocks all surrounding notes."
Scrub-cattle, n. escaped cattle that run wild in the scrub, used as a collective plural of Scrubber (q.v.).
1860. A. L. Gordon, `The Sick Stockrider" [in `Bush-Ballads,"
1876], p. 8:
""Twas merry "mid the blackwoods, when we spied the station roofs, To wheel the wild scrub-cattle at the yard, With a running fire of stock-whips and a fiery run of hoofs, Oh! the hardest day was never then too hard."
Scrub-Crab, n. a Queensland fruit. The large dark purple fruit, two inches in diameter, of Sideroxylon australe, Benth. and Hook., N.O. Saponaceae; a tall tree.
Scrub-dangler, n. a wild bullock.
1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer," c. xvi. p. 193:
"He is one of those infernal scrub-danglers from the Lachlan, come across to get a feed."
Scrub-fowl, n. name applied to birds of the genus Megapodius. See Megapode.
Scrub-Gum, n. See Gum.
Scrub-hen, i.q. Scrub fowl.
Scrub-Ironwood, n. See Ironwood.
Scrub-Myrtle, n. See Myrtle.
Scrub-Oak, n. See Oak.
Scrub-Pine, n. See Pine.
Scrub-Poison-tree, n. See Poison-tree.
Scrub-rider, n. a man who rides through the scrub in search of Scrub-cattle (q.v.).
1881. A. C. Giant, `Bush Life in Queensland," vol. i. p. 278:
"A favourite plan among the bold scrub-riders."
Scrub-Robin, n. the modern name for any bird of the genus Drymodes.
1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia," vol. iii. pl. 10:
"Drymodes Brunneopygia, Gould, Scrub-Robin. I discovered this singular bird in the great Murray Scrub in South [sc. Southern] Australia, where it was tolerably abundant. I have never seen it from any other part of the country, and it is doubtless confined to such portions of Australia as are clothed with a similar character of vegetation."
1895. W. O. Legge, `Australasian a.s.sociation for the Advancement of Science" (Brisbane), p. 447:
"As regards portions of Gould"s English nomenclatures, such as his general term `Robin" for the genera Petroica, Paecilodryas, Eopsaltria, it was found that by retaining the term `Robin" for the best known member of the group (Petroica), and applying a qualifying noun to the allied genera, such t.i.tles as Tree-robin, Scrub-robin, and Shrike-robin were easily evolved."
Scrub-Sandalwood, n. See Sandalwood.
Scrub-t.i.t, n. See t.i.t.
Scrub-tree, n. any tree that grows in the scrub.
1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition," p. 219: