kangaroo-dog

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

n.


a large dog, lurcher,deerhound, or greyhound, used for hunting the Kangaroo.

1806. `History of New South Wales' (1818), p. 265:

«Shortly before the Estramina left the River Derwent,two men unfortunately perished by a whale-boat upsetting, inwhich they were transporting four valuable kangaroo-dogs to theopposite side, none of which ever reached the shore.»

1830. R. Dawson, `Present State of Australia,' p. 141:

«The kind of dog used for coursing the kangaroo is generally across between the greyhound and the mastiff or sheep-dog; butin a climate like New South Wales they have, to use the commonphrase, too much lumber about them. The true bred greyhound isthe most useful dog: he has more wind; he ascends the hillswith more ease; and will run double the number of courses in aday. He has more bottom in running, and if he has lessferocity when he comes up with an `old man,' so much thebetter, as he exposes himself the less, and lives to affordsport another day.»

1832. J. Bischoff, `Van Diemen's Land,' c. ii. p. 31:

«They . . . are sometimes caught by the kangaroo-dogs.»

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 126:

«A fine kangaroo-dog was pointed out to us, so fond ofkangarooing that it goes out alone, kills the game, and thenfetches its master to the dead animals.»

1847. J. D. Lang, `Cooksland,' p. 422:

«With the gun over his shoulder, and the kangaroo-dog in aleash by his side.»

1850. J. B. Clutterbuck, `Port Phillip in 1849,' c. iii.p. 35:

«On every station, also, a large kind of greyhound, a crossof the Scotch greyhound and English bulldog, called thekangaroo-dog, which runs by sight, is kept for the purposeof their destruction.»

1888. Cassell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. ii. p. 91:

«Kangaroo-dogs are a special breed, a kind of stronggreyhound.»

1893. `The Argus,' April 8, p. 4, col. 1:

«That big, powerful, black kangaroo-dog Marmarah was well worthlooking at, with his broad, deep chest, intelligent, determinedeyes, sinews of a gymnast, and ribs like Damascus steel. Onhis black skin he bore marks of many honourable fights; thenear side showed a long, whitish line where the big emu he hadrun down, tackled single-handed, and finally killed, had laidhim open. His chest and legs showed numerous grey scars, eachwith a history of its own of which he might well be proud.»

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

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