ee</hw>, <i>n</i>. called also <i>Moreton Bay
Chestnut, Castanospermum australe</i>, Cunn. and Fraser,
<i>N.O. Leguminosae</i>; a tall tree with red flowers and large
seed-pods. The timber of young specimens has beautiful dark
clouding.

<hw>Bear, Native</hw>, <i>n</i>. the colonists' name for an
animal called by the aborigines Koala, Koolah, Kool-la, and
Carbora (<i>Phascolarctus cinereus</i>). It is a tree-climbing
marsupial, about two feet in length, like a small bear in its
heavy build. Its food is the young leaves of the Eucalyptus,
and it is said that the Native Bear cannot be taken to England
because it would die on board ship, owing to there being no
fresh gum leaves. The writers are incorrect who call the
animal a sloth.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. i.
p. 317

"Our coola (sloth or native bear) is about the size of an
ordinary poodle dog, with shaggy, dirty-coloured fur, no tail,
and claws and feet like a bear, of which it forms a tolerable
miniature. It climbs trees readily and feeds upon their
leaves."

1846. G. H. Haydon, `Five Years in Australia Felix,' p. 57:

"The bear (phascolomys) of the colonists is in reality a
species of sloth, and partakes of all the characteristics of
that animal; it is of the marsupial order, and is found chiefly
in the neighbourhood of thickly timbered high land; its flesh
is used by the aborigines for food, but is tough and
unpalatable; its usual weight is from eight to twelve pounds."
[Note: <i>Phascolomys</i> is the name of the Wombat, not the
Bear.]

1854. G. H. Hayden, `The Australian Emigrant,' p. 126:

"The luckless <i>carbora</i> fell crashing through the
branches." [Footnote] "The native name of an animal of the
sloth species, but incorrectly called by the colonists a bear."

1855. W. Blandowski, `Transactions of Philosophical Society of
Victoria,' vol. i. p. 68:

"The koala or karbor (<i>Phascolarctus cinereus</i>) frequents
very high trees, and sits in places where it is most sheltered
by the branches. . . . Its fur is of the same colour as the
bark . . . like the cat has the power of contracting and
expanding the pupil of the eye . . . . Its skin is remarkably
thick . . . dense woolly fur . . . . The natives aver that the
koala never drinks water."

1865. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `History of the Discovery and
Exploration of Australia,' vol. i. p. 448:

"They were soon entirely out of provisions, but found