Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 2.djvu/577

 s. ii. DEC. 10, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

477

West Indian, particularly the Jamaican, is frequently double the weight and size of the foregoing, not so sweet, and vegetable rather than buttery to the palate. Americans prefer the West Indian variety to the exclusion of all others.

The Canary species demands very careful packing in straw and leaves, whilst the West Indian bunches are dispatched with the most elementary covering on their long sea voyage. Both varieties reach England in a green state and are hung in a warm room or warehouse to ripen gradually. The difference in quality is said to be due to the superior soil and method of cultivation in the Canary Isles. In a good ripe banana the slender string of pulp running up the centre is as edible as the rest. WILLIAM JAGGARD.

139, Canning Street, Liverpool.

TITHING BARN (10 th S. ii. 368). Some twenty years ago there was, and I presume that there now is, in Liverpool a street called Tithe Barn Street. It was close to the Ex- change. Perhaps local inquiries may give your querist the desired information.

JAMES CURTIS, F.S.A.

Would not the desired description of a tith ing-barn scene have to be sought before the passing of the Tithe Commutation Act (6 <fe 7 William IV., c. 71, 13 August, 1836), when tithes became payable in money instead of in

kind? J. HOLDEN MACMlCHAEL.

For the various tithe barns still in exist ence in England, with other details concern ing their structure and dates of erection, see 3 rd S. vii. ; 8 th S. ii., iii. ; 9 th S. vi.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

ISABELLINE AS A COLOUR (10 th S. i. 487

ai. 75, 253, 375). I feel fortunate in having anticipated in my second note most of PROF SKEAT'S criticisms, and regret that my firs was apparently not clearly worded, as I cer tainly did not mean to say / was a Frencl prefix.

The etymology of Isabelline and Isabella -of course" hangs together ; and as one wouk not expect philological accuracy in a mercer' catalogue of the sixteenth century, it maj 'be possible, to judge from zebelah, that th christener of " Isabella colour " took zibellint &c., for diminutives. Retz's definition o isabelle as venire de biche is curious. I ma; point out that the Archduchess Clar Isabella and her husband the Cardinal Arch duke Albert succeeded to the Netherlands i September, 1598, so that before July, 160( there would have been ample time for som

nterprising dressmaker to have baptized tie new shade if it was then new after her. Solferino," " Magenta," " LesYeux d'Eugenie," ccur to one as similar instances, as do Steenkirk," "Nivernois," " Blucher," " Wel- ington," as names of articles of dress.

H. 2.

The following quotation from Part II. of The Complete Angler,' written by Charles Jotton, will show that the term had passed nto the language temp. Charles II. :

"4. There is also for this month [March] a fly ailed the Thorn- Tree, Fly, the dubbing an absolute (lack mixed with eight or ten hairs of Isabella- coloured Mohair."

A note upon it says, "A species of whitish yellow, or buff colour somewhat soiled. ; '

JOHN PICKFORD, M.A. Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.

AUTHORS OF QUOTATIONS WANTED (10 th S. ii. 130). The ultimate source of the maxim referred to in No. 7 (" I have this day prac- tised the rule of life, Diffidere") would seem to be Epicharmus's well-known line Na Kal /x/xi/ao~' b.Tri(TTtiv' apOpa ravra rav

[255 in Mullach's edition, 'Fragmenta Phi- ; losophorum Grsecorum,' vol. i. p. 144).

Compare also Demosthenes, second ' Phi- lippic,' 24, "Ei/ ok TI KOIVOV ...... TI ovv eo~rt

TOUTO ; dTrto-Tta. EDWARD BENSLY.

The University, Adelaide, South Australia.

JOANNES v. JOHANNES (1.0 th S. ii. 189, 274, 355). It may be interesting to note that the two spellings may be often found in one book. For example I cite "Johannis Secundi Opera. Accurate recognita ex museo P. Scriverii. Lugduni Batavorurn," 1631. Although the h appears in the name on the engraved title-page, Joannes is the name in the minor title-pages e.g., " Joannis Secundi Basia," as also in the page-headings and the epitaphs (pp. 365-6), as well as in the epigram under the portrait. In the pre- fatory matter the writings are called in several places the " opera " or " poemata Jani Secundi," while one of the " Testimonia " is headed "In laudem Jo. Secundi Hagensis, Poetse conterrauei, Janus Dousa." Examples of the name with and without the h occur in the ' Itinerum Delicise ' of Nathan Chy trseus, second edition, 1599 e.g., Joannis Alefeldii, p. 90, and Johannis Cratonis, p. 324. In 4 Gemma Fabri ' (Ambergae. 1603) St. John is called Johannes (there is one abbreviation of the name, which is Joan.). Here is the title of another book : ' Johannis Rosini Antiquitatum Romanarum Corpus,' Amstelge- dami, 1743. Although the h appears in the