ensland,' vol. i. p. 41:

"A billy (that is a round tin pitcher with a lid) in his hand."

1889. Cassell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. iv. p. 69:

"A tin can, which the connoisseurs call for some reason or
other a `billy.'"

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Squatter's Dream,' p. 24:

"A very black camp-kettle, or billy, of hot tea."

1892. `The Australasian,' April 9, p. 707, col. 4:

"How we praised the simple supper
(we prepared it each in turn),
And the tea! Ye gods! 'twas nectar.
Yonder billy was our urn."

<hw>Billy-can</hw>, <i>n.</i> a variation of the above, more
used by townsmen than bushmen.

1892. `The Australasian,' April 9, p. 707, col. 4:

"But I said, `Dear friend and brother, yonder billy-can is
mine; You may confiscate the washing that is hanging on the
line, You may depredate the larder, take your choice of pot and
pan; But, I pray thee, kind sundowner, spare, oh spare, my
billy-can.'"

<hw>Bingy</hw> [<i>g</i> soft], <i>n</i>. stomach or belly.
Aboriginal. The form at Botany Bay was <i>bindi</i>; at Jervis
Bay, <i>binji</i>.

1851. Rev. David Mackenzie, `Ten Years in Australia,' p. 140:

"They lay rolling themselves on the ground, heavily groaning in
pain, and with their hands rubbing their bellies, exclaiming,
`Cabonn buggel along bingee' (that is, I am very sick in the
stomach)."

<hw>Birch</hw>, <i>n</i>. In New Zealand, the trees called
birches are really <i>beeches</i> (q.v.), but the term birch is
used very vaguely; see quotation 1889. In Tasmania, the name is
applied to <i>Dodonaea ericifolia</i>, Don., <i>N.O.
Sapindaceae</i>.

1853. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand,' p. 125:

"White-birch of Nelson and Otago (from colour of bark),
Black-heart Birch of Wellington, <i>Fagus solandri</i>, Hook, a
lofty, beautiful ever-green tree, 100 feet high. Black-birch
(Tawhai) of Auckland and Otago (from colour of bark), Red-birch
of Wellington and Nelson (from colour of timber), <i>Fagus
fusca, N.O. Cupuliferae</i>, a noble tree 60 to 90 feet high."

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 91:

"Like all small-leaved forest trees it [<i>Fagus solandri</i>,
Hook. f.] is termed `birch' by the bushman. . . . It is not
too much to say that the blundering use of common names in
connection with the New Zealand beeches, when the timber has
been employed in bridges and constructive works, has caused
waste and loss to the value of many thousands of pounds."

<hw