questa isola, e di quivi reportata la testa di Medusa, essendo egli ambitioso di far creder al mondo che lui vi fasse audato per mare; e dar riputation a questo suo viaggio, di esser penetrato fuio dove era stato Perseo; volesse portar due pelli di Gorgone, e dedicarla nel tempio di Ginnone. Il che li fu facil cosa da fare, conciosia cosa che IN TUTTA QUELLA COSTA SI TRUOVINO INFINITE DI QUELLE SIMIE GRANDE, CHE FARENO PERSONE HUMANE, DELLE BABUINE, le pelle delle quali poteva far egli credere ad ogniuno che fussero state di femine."

Gopelin, also, in his Recherches sur la Géographie des Anciens, speaking of this part of Hanno's voyage, says:

"Hanno encountered a troop of Ourang-outangs, which he took for savages, because these animals walk erect, often having a staff in their hands to support themselves, as well as for attack or defence; and they throw stones when they are pursued. They are the Satyrs and the Argipani with which Pliny says Atlas was peopled. It would be useless to say more on this subject, as it is avowed by all the modern commentators of the Periplus."

The relation we have is evidently only an abridgment or summary made by some Greek, studious of Carthaginian affairs, long subsequent to the time of Hanno; and judging from a passage in Pliny (I. ii. c. 67.), it appears that the ancients were acquainted with other extracts from the original, yet, though its authenticity has been doubted by Strabo and others, there seems to be little reason to question that it is a correct outline of the voyage. That the Carthaginians were oppressors of the people they subjugated may be probable; yet we must not, on such slender grounds as this narration affords, presume that they would wantonly kill and flay human beings to possess themselves of their skins!

S.W. Singer

April 10. 1850.

FOLK LORE.

Cook-eels.—Forby derives this from coquille, in allusion to their being fashioned like an escallop, in which sense he is borne out by Cotgrave, who has "Pain coquillé, a fashion of an hard-crusted loafe, somewhat like our stillyard bunne." I have always taken the word to be "coquerells," from the vending of such buns at the barbarous sport of "throwing at the cock" on Shrove Tuesday. The cock is still commonly called a cockerell in E. Anglia. Perhaps Mr. Wodderspoon will say whether the buns of the present day are fashioned in any particular manner, or whether any "the oldest inhabitant" has any recollection of their being differently fashioned or at all impressed. What, too, are the "stillyard buns" of Cotgrave? Are they tea-cakes? The apartment in which tea was formerly made was called the still-room.

Buriensis.

Divination by the Bible and Key.—This superstition is very prevalent amongst the peasantry of this and adjoining parishes. When any article is suspected to have been stolen, a Bible is procured, and opened at the 1st chap. of Ruth: the stock of a street-door key is then laid on the 16th verse of the above chapter, and the key is secured in this position by a string, bound tightly round the book. The person who works the charm then places his two middle fingers under the handle of the key, and this keeps the Bible suspended. He then repeats in succession the names of the parties suspected of the theft; repeating at each name a portion of the verse on which the key is placed, commencing, "Whither thou goest, I will go," &c. When the name of the guilty is pronounced, the key turns off the fingers, the Bible falls to the ground, and the guilt of the party is determined. The belief of some the more ignorant of the lower orders in this charm is unbounded. I have seen it practiced in other counties, the key being laid over the 5th verse of the 19th chap. of Proverbs, instead of the 1st chap. of Ruth.

David Stevens.

Godalming, April 11. 1850.

[In Brand's Popular Antiquities (ed. Ellis). vol. iii. 188-9, it is stated that the key is placed upon the 50th Psalm.]

Weather Proverb.—Weather proverbs are among the most curious portions of popular literature. That foul or fair weather is betokened according as the rainbow is seen in the morning or evening, is recorded in the following German "saw," which is nearly identical with our well-known English Proverb:

In Mr. Akerman's recently published volume called Spring Tide, a pleasant intermixture of fly-fishing and philology, we have a Wiltshire version of this proverb, curious for its old Saxon language and its comparatively modern allusion to a "great coat" in the third and sixth lines, which must be interpolations.

No one, we believe, has yet remarked the philosophy of this saying; namely that in the morning the rainbow is seen in the clouds in the west, the quarter from which we get most rain, and of course, in the evening, in the opposite quarter of the heavens.

William J. Thoms.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

1. A pleasant Dialogue between a Soldier of Barwicke and an English Chaplain; wherein are largely handed such reasons as are brought in for maintenance of Popish traditions in our English Church. 8vo. circa 1581.

This work is frequently attributed to Barnaby Rich; but from Bancroft's Dangerous Positions, p. 42, the author is ascertained to have been Anthony Gilby.

2. The Trumpet of Fame; or Sir Francis Drake's and Sir John Hawkin's Farewell: with an encouragement to all Sailors and Souldiers that are minded to go in this worthie enterprise, &c. 12mo. London, by T. Creede, 1595.

This poetical tract is of the greatest rarity, and was unknown to Ames, Herbert, Warton and Ritson. A MS. note, in a contemporary hand, says the author was one Henry Roberts, whose initials are appended to the work.

3. The Mastive, or Young Whelpe of the Olde Dogge. Epigrams and Satyrs, by H.P. 4to. London, by T. Creede, circa 1600.

As an Epigram in this collection also appears in Henry Peacham's Minerva Britanna, with a slight variation, it is fair to surmise that he was the author of this very rare volume, in preference to Henry Parrott.

4. Pasquil's Jests, mixed with Mother Bunch's Merriments. Whereunto is added a dozen of Gulles. Pretty and pleasant to drive away the tediousnesse of a winter's evening. 4to. 1608.

In the British Bibliographer, vol i., may be seen an account of the edition of 1609, with extracts from it, and a statement that "an earlier edition is without the Gulls." The present copy (which passed through my hands some years ago), although earlier, has the Gulls.

5. Holie Historie of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's Nativitie, Life, Actes, Miracles, Doctrine, Death, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. Gathered into English Meeter, and published to withdraw all vajne wits from all unsaverie and wicked rimes and fables &c. 12mo. London, by R. Field, 1594.

Ames and Herbert say this book was written by Henry Holland; but the author's name was Robert Holland. It is not mentioned by Warton.

6. News from the Stars; or, Erra Pater's Ghost, by Meriton Latroon. 12mo. 1673.

"Richard Head, a broken bookseller, and the author of the English Rogue, writ this. He turned Papist, and in his voyage to Spain was