rose-hill

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

n.


The name is given by Gould asapplied to two Parrakeets:

1) Platycercus eximius, Vig. and Hors., called by theColonists of New South Wales, and by Gould, the Rose-hillParrakeet.

2) Platycercus icterotis, Wagl., called by theColonists of Swan River, Western Australia, the Rose-hill, and by Gould the Earl of Derby'sParrakeet.

The modern name for both these birds is Rosella (q.v.),though it is more specifically confined to the first. `Rose-hill' was the name of the Governor's residenceat Parramatta, near Sydney, in the early days of the settlementof New South Wales, and the name Rosella is a settler'scorruption of Rose-hiller, though the erroneousetymology from the Latin rosella (sc. `a little rose')is that generally given. The word Rosella, however,is not a scientific name, and does not appear as the nameof any genus or species; it is vernacular only, and no settleror bushman is likely to have gone to the Latin to form it.

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. v. pl. 27:

« Platycercus eximius, Vig. & Hors. Rose-hillParrakeet; Colonists of New South Wales.»

Ibid. vol. v. pl. 29:

« Platycercus icterotis, Wagl. The Earl of Derby'sParrakeet; Rose-hill of the Colonists [of Swan River].»

Related Words