wombat

n.

a marsupial animal of the genus Phascolomys (q.v.). It is a corruption of theaboriginal name. There are various spellings; that nearestto the aboriginal is womback, but the form wombatis now generally adopted. The species are – – the Common Wombat, Phascolomys mitchelli, Owen; Tasmanian W., P. ursinus, Shaw; Hairy-nosed W., P. latifrons,Owen.

1798. M. Flinders, `Voyage to Terra Australis (1814),'Intro. p. cxxviii, `Journal,' Feb. 16:

«Point Womat, a rocky projection of Cape Barren Island, where anumber of the new animals called womit were seen, and killed.»

Ibid. p. cxxxv:

«This little bear-like quadruped is known in New South Wales,and called by the natives, womat, wombat, or womback, according to the different dialects,or perhaps to the different renderings of the wood rangerswho brought the information . . . It burrows like the badger.»

1799. D. Collins, `Account of New South Wales (1802),'vol. ii. p. 153 [`Bass's Journal,' Jan.]:

«The Wom-bat (or, as it is called by the natives of PortJackson, the Womback,) is a squat, thick, short-legged,and rather inactive quadruped, with great appearance of stumpystrength, and somewhat bigger than a large turnspit dog.»

1802. D. Collins, `Account of English Colony in New SouthWales,' vol. ii. p. 156:

«In the opinion of Mr. Bass this Wombat seemed to be veryoeconomically made.»

18x3. `History of New South Wales' 0818), p. 431:

«An animal named a wombat, about the size of a smallturnspit-dog, has been found in abundance in Van Diemen's Land,and also, though less frequently, in other parts of New SouthWales. Its flesh has in taste a resemblance to pork.»

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. i.p. 318:

«The wombat, a large animal of the size of a mastiff,burrowing in the ground, feeding on grass and rootsand attaining considerable fatness.»

1832. J. Bischoff, `Van Diemen's Land,' p. 175:

«The dogs had caught . . . two badgers or woombacks.»

1846. G. H. Haydon, `Five Years in Australia Felix,' p. 58:

«The Wombat is a large kind of badger, which burrows in theground to a considerable depth, and is taken by the blacks forfood; it makes a noise, when attacked in its hole, somethingsimilar to the grunting of a pig.»

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 129:

«Mere rudimentary traces (of a pouch) in the pig-like wombat.»

1853. J. West, `History of Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 325:

«The Wombat, commonly called in the colony Badger( Phascolomys wombat, Peron.), is an animal weighingforty to eighty pounds, having a large body with short legs.Notwithstanding its burrowing habits, and the excessivethickness and toughness of its skin, it is usually so easilykilled that it is becoming less and less common.»

1855. W. Blandowski, `Transactions of Philosophical Societyof Victoria,' vol. i. p. 67:

«Wombat. This clumsy, but well-known animal ( Phascolomyswombat), during the day conceals himself in his gloomy lairin the loneliest recesses of the mountains, and usually on thebanks of a creek, and at night roams about in search of food,which it finds by grubbing about the roots of giganticeucalypti.»

1855. W. Howitt, `Two Years in Vic. toria,' vol. i. p. 211:

«The wombat resembles a large badger in the shortness of itslegs, but has a little of the pig and the bear in its shape,hair, and movements.»

1862. W. M. Thackeray, `Roundabout Papers,' p. 82:

«Our dear wambat came up and had himself scratched veryaffably. . . .

«Then I saw the grey wolf, with mutton in his maw;

Then I saw the wambat waddle in the straw.»

1880. Fison and Howitt, `Kamilaroi and Kumai,' p. 265:

«Wombat is cooked, then opened and skinned.»

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 81:

«The wombat is very powerful, and can turn a boulder almostas large as itself out of the way when it bars the road.»

1889. Cassell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. iv. p. 183:

«There are large numbers of wombats in the district, and theseanimals, burrowing after the fashion of rabbits, at times reachgreat depths, and throw up large mounds.»

1894. `The Argus,' June 23, p. 11, col. 4:

«The wombat's grunt is strictly in harmony with his piggishappearance.»