>Soak</hw>, or <hw>Soakage</hw>, <i>n</i>. a Western
and Central Australian term. See quotation.

1895. `The Australasian,' Sept. 7, p. 461, col. 1:

"`Inquirer.'--The term soak in Western Australia, as used on
maps and plans, signifies a depression holding moisture after
rain. It is also given to damp or swampy spots round the base
of granite rocks. Wells sunk on soaks yield water for some
time after rain. All soaks are of a temporary character."

<hw>Soak-hole</hw>, <i>n</i>. an enclosed place in a stream
in which sheep are washed.

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 82:

"Parallel poles, resting on forks driven into the bed of the
water-hole, were run out on the surface of the stream, forming
square soak-holes, a long, narrow lane leading to the dry
land."

<hw>Soldier</hw>, or <hw>Soldier-Ant</hw>, <i>n</i>. "one of
that section of a colony of some kinds of ants which does the
fighting, takes slaves, etc." (`Century Dict.') In Australia,
the large red ants are called <i>Soldier-Ants</i>. Compare
<i>Bulldog-Ant</i>.

1854. G. H. Haydon, `The Australian Emigrant,' p. 59:

"It was a red ant, upwards of an inch in length--`that's a
soldier, and he prods hard too.'"

1865. W. Howitt, `Discovery in Australia,' vol. ii. p. 308:

"The pain caused by a wound from this grass-seed is exactly
like that from the bite of a soldier-ant."

<hw>Soldier-bird</hw>, or <hw>Poor Soldier</hw>,
or <hw>Old-Soldier bird</hw>, <i>n</i>. another
name for the <i>Friar-bird</i> (q.v.).

1859. D. Bunce, `Australasiatic Reminiscences,' p. 62:

"The notes peculiar to the <i>Ornithorhynchus paradoxus</i>,
or <i>platypus</i>, wattle-bird, and leather-head, or old
soldier bird, added in no small degree to the novelties. . . .
The wattle-bird has been not inaptly termed the `what's
o'clock,'--the leather-head the `stop where-you-are.'"

[Mr. Bunce's observations are curiously confused. The
`Soldier-bird' is also called `Four o'clock,' but it is
difficult to say what `wattle bird' is called `what's o'clock';
the `notes' of the platypus must be indeed `peculiar.']

1896. Mrs. Langloh Parker, `Australian Legendary Tales,'
p. 108 [Title of Tale]:

"Deegeenboyah the Soldier-bird."

<hw>Sole</hw>, <i>n</i>. The name is given to various
Australian fishes. In Sydney, to <i>Synaptura nigra</i>,
Macl.; in Melbourne, to <i>Rhombosolea bassensis</i>, Castln.;
in New Zealand, to <i>Rhombosolea monopus<