scala> def now(time:java.util.Date = new java.util.Date) = time.toString now: (time: java.util.Date)java.lang.String scala> now <console>:7: error: missing arguments for method now in object $iw; follow this method with `_' if you want to treat it as a partially applied function now ^ scala> now() res17: java.lang.String = Wed Jul 20 05:50:25 JST 2011