f Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 325:

"The forester (<i>Macropus major</i>, Shaw), the male being
known by the name of `boomer,' and the young female by that of
`flying doe,' is the largest and only truly gregarious
species."

1854. G. H. Haydon, `The Australian Emigrant,' p. 124:

"It was of an old man kangaroo,a regular boomer."

1855. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes,' p. 169:

"An officer from Van Diemen's Land told me that he had once
killed in that colony a kangaroo of such magnitude, that, being
a long way from home, he was unable, although on horseback, to
carry away any portion except the tail, which alone weighed
thirty pounds. This species is called the boomah, and stands
about seven feet high."

1857. W. Howitt, `Tallangetta,' vol. i. p. 47:

"Sometimes starting a grand boomah, or great red kangaroo."

1862. F. J. Jobson, `Australia,' c. v. p. 124:

"Some of the male kangaroos, called `boomers,' were described
as being four or five feet high."

1864. J. Rogers, `New Rush,' p. 55:

"The Boomer starts, and ponders
What kind of beasts we be."

1867. W. Richardson, `Tasmanian Poems,' p. 26:

"The dogs gather round a `boomer' they've got."

1872. Mrs. E. Millett, `An Australian Parsonage,' p. 195:

"A tall old <i>Booma</i>, as the natives call the male
kangaroo, can bring his head on a level with the face of a man
on horseback. . . . A kangaroo's feet are, in fact, his
weapons of defence with which, when he is brought to bay, he
tears his antagonists the dogs most dreadfully, and instances
are not wanting of even men having been killed by a large old
male. No doubt this peculiar method of disposing of his
enemies has earned him the name of <i>Booma</i>, which in the
native language signifies to strike."

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 16:

"As he plunged into the yellow waters, the dogs were once more
by his side, and again the `boomer' wheeled, and backed against
one of the big trees that stud these hollows."

Applied generally to something very large.

1885. `Australasian Printers' Keepsake,' p. 76:

"When the shades of evening come,
I choose a boomer of a gum."

<hw>Boomerang</hw>, <i>n</i>. a weapon of the Australian
aborigines, described in the quotations. The origin of the
word is by no means certain. One explanation is that of
Mr. Fraser in quotation, 1892. There may perhaps be an
etymological connection with the name <i>woomera</i> (q.v.),
which is a different weap