n.
1) A name applied popularly and somewhat confusedly to varioustrees, on account of the toughness of their bark – – (a) Eucalyptus punctata, De C., Hickory Eucalypt (q.v.);(b) Alphitonia excelsa, Reiss., or Cooperswood;(c) Ceratopetalum, or Coachwood;(d) Cryptocarya meissnerii, F. v. M.;(e) Weinmannia benthami, F. v. M.
2) A fish of the family Sclerodermi, Monacanthusayraudi, Quoy. and Gaim., and numerous other species of Monocanthus. Leather-Jackets are wide-spread inAustralian seas. The name is given elsewhere to other fishes.See File-fish and Pig-fish.
1770. `Capt. Cook's Journal,' edition Wharton, 1893, p. 246:
«They had caught a great number of small fish, which thesailors call leather jackets, on account of their havinga very thick skin; they are known in the West Indies.»
1773. `Hawkesworth's Voyages,' vol. iii. p. 503 – – 'Cook'sFirst Voyage,' May 4, 1770 (at Botany Bay):
«Small fish, which are well known in the West Indies, andwhich our sailors call Leather jackets, because their skinis remarkably thick.»
1789. W. Tench, `Expedition to Botany Bay, p. 129:
«To this may be added bass, mullets, skaits, soles,leather-jackets, and many other species.»
3) A kind of pancake.
1846. G. H. Haydon, `Five Years in Australia Felix,' p. 151:
«A plentiful supply of `leatherjackets' (dough fried in apan).»
1853. Mossman and Banister, `Australia Visited and Revisited,'p. 126:
«Our party, upon this occasion, indulged themselves, inaddition to the usual bush fare, with what are called `Leatherjackets,' an Australian bush term for a thin cake made ofdough, and put into a pan to bake with some fat. . . TheAmericans indulge in this kind of bread, giving them the nameof `Puff ballooners,' the only difference being that they placethe cake upon the bare coals . . .»
1855. R. Howitt, `Two Years in Victoria,' vol. i. p. 117:
«The leather-jacket is a cake of mere flour and water, raisedwith tartaric acid and carbonate of soda instead of yeast, andbaked in the frying-pan; and is equal to any muffin you canbuy in the London shops.»