yesterday, in a chalky field in Berkshire, I found several cocoons of one particular kind on the above plant (itself not common in these parts), and I did not see it on any other plant in the field, although I spent some time in looking about.

J. E.

Oxford, July 29.

64. Spenser's Portraits (Vol. iv., p. 74.).

—VARRO states he is "well acquainted with an admirable portrait of the poet, bearing date 1593." Perhaps he could give a satisfactory answer to a Query relative to the engraved portraits of Spenser which appeared in one of the numbers of "NOTES AND QUERIES" for last April, and which was not been yet answered.

E. M. B.

65. Borrow's Bible in Spain.

—In the Athenæum for Aug. 17, 1850, in a review of Wallis's Glimpses of Spain, I find the following remark:—

"Mr. Wallis imputes a want of judgment and of 'earnest desire' for the objects of his mission to Mr. Borrow personally, on the ground that he—being, as all know, sent out by the Bible Society to circulate the Protestant Scriptures—did not, instead of attempting to fulfil that special object of his mission, employ himself in diffusing the Roman Catholic version of the Vulgate set forth by the Spanish hierarchy."

It is well known that the Bible Society keeps on its shelves both the Protestant and Roman Catholic versions of French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Its endeavours at present are, I believe, confined to attempting to circulate the Roman Catholic versions, on the ground that it is impossible to circulate the more correct Protestant ones. My Queries are:—

1. Was Mr. Borrow sent out by the Bible Society to circulate the Protestant Scriptures?

2. Whose translation of the Vulgate was set forth by the Spanish hierarchy?

E. M. B.

66. Dogmatism and Puppyism.—

"Dogmatism is nothing but puppyism come to its full growth."

I find this quotation in a leader of The Times. Can you or any of your readers inform me of its origin?

?

67. A Saxon Bell-house.

—A reader of "NOTES AND QUERIES," who subscribes himself A LOVER OF BELLS, has kindly referred me to a passage in Hume's History of England, in which it is said that, according to a statute of Athelstan, "a ceorle or husbandman who had been able to purchase five hides of land, and had a chapel, a kitchen, a hall, and a bell," was raised to the rank of a Thane. The marginal reference in Hume is to Selden's Titles of Honor; and in that work the statue is then given:

"If a churle or a countryman so thrived that hee had fully five hides of his owne land, a church, and a kitchen, a bel-house, a borough-gate with a seate, and any distinct office in the king's court, then was he henceforth of equall honour or dignitie with a Thane."

Selden considers that the bel-house was the dining-hall to which the guests and family were summoned by the ringing of a bell. He thinks the word corresponds with tinello, tinelo, and tinel, the Italian, Spanish, and French words for a "public hall" or "dining-room,"—"so named, because the tin or tingling of a bell at the times of dinner or supper in it were signified by it."

I beg to ask whether the existing knowledge of the details of Saxon architecture substantiates Selden's view; and whether this bell was also the alarum-bell of the castle, hanging in an outside turret?

Many thanks to my correspondent, and to "NOTES AND QUERIES" for the introduction to his notice.

ALFRED GATTY.

Minor Queries Answered.

Cycle of the Moon.

—Can any of your correspondents inform me in what year the new moon last fell on the 1st of January? I am no astronomer, but I believe the moon's cycles is a period of nineteen years, and that whenever the new moon falls on the 1st January, the cycle begins.

BENBOW.

Birmingham.

[The above matter is made the more puzzling to all who are not astronomers, by the pertinacity with which popular writers persist in speaking of the moon's motions as if they were regular.

There is no particular beginning to the cycle of nineteen years: anybody may make it begin when he pleases. What it means is this: that in any set of nineteen years, the new and full moons generally (not always) fall on the same days as in the preceding nineteen years. For instance, in 1831, the 14th of March was a day of new moon: go on nineteen years, that is, to the 14th of March, 1850; most probably, not certainly, this must be a day of new moon. It happens, however, otherwise; for in 1850 the new moon is on the 13th. But in the Aprils of both years, the new moons are on the 12th; in the Junes, on the 10th. All that can be said is, that where any day of any year is new moon, most probably that day nineteen years is new moon also, and certainly either the day before or the day after. In that cycle of nineteen years, which is called the cycle of the golden number, there is an arbitrary beginning, which has something to do with the new moon falling near the 1st of January. The cycle in which we now are, began (that is, had the year marked 1) in 1843.

To find the last time when the new moon fell on the 1st of January with certainty, would be no easy problem for any but an astronomer. The nearest which our correspondent can do is this. Take Mr. De Morgan's recently published Book of Almanacs, and turn to almanac 37. Take the day in question (Jan. 1), and from the first of the Roman numbers written opposite (xxx.) subtract one (xxix.). Look back into the new style index (p. 7.), then any one year which has the epact 29 is very likely to have the new moon on the 1st of January; epact 30 may also have it. Now, on looking, we find that we are not in that period of the world's existence at which epact 29 makes its appearance; no such thing has occurred since 1699, nor will occur until 1900. We are then in a period in which new moons on the 1st of January are comparatively infrequent. Our best chance is when the epact is 30, as in 1843: here there is a narrow miss of what we want, for it was new moon on the day previous, as late as seven in the evening.

Our correspondent's notion that the moon's cycle begins with a new moon on the 1st of January, is probably derived from this, that the calendar is so contrived that for a very long period the years which have 1 for their golden number, have a new moon near the 1st of January, either on it, or within a day of it.]

Cocker's Arithmetic.

—At a sale of books by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, a copy of Cocker's Arithmetic was sold for 8l. 10s., date 1678, said to be one of the only two extant. It is stated Dr. Dibdin had never seen any edition printed in the seventeenth century, and mentions the thirty-second as the earliest he had met with. I have in