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Ibis, n. There are twenty-four species of this bird distributed over all the warmer parts of the globe. Those present in Australasia are--
Glossy (Black, or Bay) Ibis-- Ibis falcinellus, Linnaeus.
Straw-necked I.-- Geronticus spinnicollis, Jameson.
White I.-- Threskiornis strictipennis, Gould.
Of these the last two are confined to Australia, the first is cosmopolitan.
1847. L. Leichhardt, 'Overland Expedition,' p. 155:
'All they had for supper and breakfast were a straw-coloured ibis, a duck and a crow.'
Ibid. p. 300:
'Crows were feasting on the remains of a black Ibis.'
1848. J. Gould, 'Birds of Australia,' vol. vi.:
'Geronticus spinicollis, straw-necked ibis (pl. 45). This beautiful ibis has never yet been discovered out of Australia, over the whole of which immense country it is probably distributed.'
'Threskiornis strictipennis, white ibis' (pl. 46).
'Ibis falcinellus, Linnaeus., glossy ibis' (pl. 47).
1892. 'The Australasian,' April 9, p. 707, col. 4:
'When the hoarse-voiced jackass mocked us, and the white-winged ibis flew Past lagoons and through the rushes, far away into the blue.'
Ice-Plant, n. Tasmanian name for Tetragonia implexicoma, J. Hooker., N.O. Ficoideae, B. Fl. Various species of Tetragonia are cultivated as Spinach (q.v.).
1889. J. H. Maiden, 'Useful Native Plants,' p. 63:
'Called 'ice-plant' in Tasmania. Baron Mueller suggests that this plant be cultivated for spinach. [Found in] all the colonies except Queensland.'
Identity, Old, n. phrase denoting a person well known in a place. a term invented in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1862, in a popular topical song, by Mr. R. Thatcher, an improvisator. In the song the 'Old Identity,' the former resident of Dunedin, was distinguished from the 'New Iniquity,' as the people were termed who came from Australia.
1879. W. J. Barry, 'Up and Down,' p. 197:
'The old identities were beginning to be alive to the situation.'
1894. 'Sydney Morning Herald,' Oct.:
'It is permissible to wonder about the origin of the phrase 'an old identity.' Surely no man, however old, can be an identity? An entity he is, or a nonentity; an individual, a centenarian, or an oldest inhabitant; but identity is a condition of sameness, of being identical with something. One can establish one's identity with that of some one who is being sought or sued, but once established it escapes us.'
Inaka, n. a fish. See Inanga.
Inanga or Inaka, n. (the ng as in the word singer, not as in finger), a New Zealand fish, Galaxias attenuatus, or Retropinna richardsoni. It is often called the Whitebait and Minnow, and in Tasmania the larger variety is called Jolly-tail. The change from Inanga to Inaka is a dialectal Maori variation, answering exactly to the change from North Island Kainga to South Island Kaik (q.v.).
1845. E. J. Wakefield, 'Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. ii. p. 100:
'This fish is called hinanga [sic.], and resembles Blackwall white-bait in size and flavour. Its colour is a pinkish white, spotted with black.'
1896. 'The Australasian,' Aug. 28, p. 407, col. 3:
'About the same size as this fish [the cockabully] is the 'inaka' much used for bait. Indeed, it is called the New Zealand whitebait. A friend from Victoria having used this bait, I asked him to spell the name of the fish, and he wanted to make it like the patriarch who 'walked with God' --Enoch-a. The more correct shape of the Maori word is inanga; but in the South Island 'k' often takes the place of that distinctive Maori letter 'ng,' as 'kainga' becomes kaik; ngaio, kaio.'
Inchman, n. a Tasmanian name for the Bull-dog Ant (q.v.), from its length, which is sometimes nearly an inch.
Indented Servants, n. same as Assigned (q.v.) Servants.
1810. 'History of New South Wales' (1818), p. 352:
'Public Notice. Secretary's Office, Sydney, July 21, 1810. A ship being daily expected to arrive here from England with female convicts, whom it is His Excellency the Governor's intention to distribute among the settlers, as indented servants. . . .'
Indians, pl. n. early and now obsolete name for the Aboriginals in Australia and even for the Maoris.
1769. J. Banks, 'Journal,' Oct. 21 (Sir J. D. Hooker edition), p. 191:
'We applied to our friends the Indians for a passage in one of their canoes.'
[These were Maoris.]
1770. Ibid. April 28:
'During this time, a few of the Indians who had not followed the boat remained on the rock opposite the ship, threatening and menacing with their pikes and swords.'
[These were Australian Aboriginals.]
1825. Barron Field, 'Geographical Memoirs of New South Wales,' p. 437:
'Some of the Indians have also seriously applied to be allowed convict labourers, as the settlers are, although they have not patience to remain in the huts which our Government has built for them, till the maize and cabbage that have been planted to their hands are fit to gather.'
1830. 'The Friend of Australia,' p. 244:
'It is the observation of some writers, that the system pursued in Australia for educating the children of the Indians is not attended with success. The black children will never do any good there, until some other plan is commenced . . .'
Indigo, Native, n. all the species of Swainsonia, N.O. Leguminosae, are called 'Native Indigos.' See Indigo-plant. In Tasmania, the Native Indigo is Indigofera australis, Willd., N.O. Leguminosae. The plants are also called Indigo-plant and Darling-pea (q.v.). Swainsonia belongs to the same N.O. as Indigofera tinctoria, which furnishes the Indigo of commerce.
1826. J. Atkinson, 'Agriculture and Grazing in New South Wales,' p. 24:
'Indigo brushes are not very common; the timber in these is generally white or blackbutted gum; the ground beneath is covered with the native indigo, a very beautiful plant, with a light purple flower.'
1889. J. H. Maiden, 'Useful Native Plants,' p. 140:
'The 'darling-pea' or 'indigo-plant' is a dreaded plant from the great amount of loss it has inflicted on stockowners. Its effect on sheep is well known; they separate from the flock, wander about listlessly, and are known to the shepherds as ' pea-eaters,' or 'indigo-eaters.' When once a sheep takes to eating this plant it seldom or never fattens, and may be said to be lost to its owner. The late Mr. Charles Thorn, of Queensland, placed a lamb which had become an 'indigo-eater' in a small paddock, where it refused to eat grass. It, however, ate the indigo plant greedily, and followed Mr. Thorn all over the paddock for some indigo he held in his hand.'
Ink-plant, n. another name for the 'toot,' a New Zealand shrub, Coriaria thymifolia, N.O. Coriarieae. Called Ink-plant on account of its juice, which soon turns to black. There is also an European Ink-plant, Coriaria myrtifolia, so that this is only a different species.
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