Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 3.djvu/435

 ii s. m. JUNE 3, ion.] NOTES AND QU ERIES.

429

From this general description I am led to the belief that the original of this strange quadruped is not so difficult to seek, in- asmuch as the main characteristics here given impress one as those of the African gnu, or wilde beeste ; and what further confirms this supposition is the fact that Pliny, from whom the bestiary account is said to be taken, states that the animal's habitat is Ethiopia. The horns of the adult gnu are broad at the base, lying flat on the skull, as in the buffalo ; thence they become rounded, and are ultimately bent upwards and inwards to a point. Though classed by zoologists as an antelope, the animal combines the close hair and mane of the pony, the slender limbs of the ante- lope, and the long tail and cloven hoofs of the buffalo. The bulls are very pugnacious, and the curious movement of the horns in fighting might easily lead an onlooker to conclude that they were reversible. In the young the horns are at firstetraight, but they become coiled as maturity approaches. One variety, Catoblepas gorgon, the brindled gnu, is still common north of the Zambesi.

N. W. HILL.

129. West 13th Street. New York.

MBS. KITTY CUTHBEBTSON, THE NOVEL- IST. In the third chapter of Sir George Trevelyan's ' Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay ' there are two minor lady novelists mentioned, Mrs. Meeke and Mrs. Kitty Cuthbertson, who appear to have been held in considerable estimation by the historian and his sisters. I believe the * D.N.B.' tells as much of Mrs. Meeke as is ever likely to be published, but is there nothing known of Mrs. Cuthbertson ? I have always felt a strong desire to learn some- thing authentic of this writer of romances, uho could arouse enthusiasm in such a brilliant, literary, and affectionate family circle as the young Macaulay group, and shall therefore welcome any information. FBEDK. C. WHITE.

26, Arran Street, Cardiff.

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE PAVING-BLOCKS. The stone " setts " which floor the centre of the Royal Exchange are of a curious yellowish appearance, and have, if one may use such a. term in such a connexion, a sort of soft or satinish texture if the foot be rubbed on them. Somebody, years ago, told me that the Sultan sent a gift of Turkish honestones to King Charles (I. or II., I forget which) for the sharpening of swords, and that the King, not quite knowing how to make use of them, gave them to be em-

ployed as paving for the Royal Exchange. I have often tried to trace the truth of the story, but without any result. Are the present stones in fact " Turkey stones," and if not, what are they ? Is anything known as regards their history ?

DOUGLAS OWEN.

FOBEIGN AMBASSADOBS. In the various memoirs of the eighteenth century one frequently comes across references to the Spanish, the Portuguese, or the Swedish ambassadors, and often much research is necessary to discover the name of the person so indicated. A complete list of the foreign ambassadors in London during the period would be most useful to students. Can any reader of ' N. & Q.' set a good ex- ample to the editor of Haydn's ' Book of Dignities ' and supply such a list ?

HORACE BLEACKLEY.

CHARLES I. MINIATUBE. Is there a list of those to whom Queen Henrietta Maria gave miniatures (after the portrait by Van Dyck) of Charles I. ? And what had been the respective sums given by those who received the portrait on blue enamel, or on yellow enamel ?

I have one on blue, oval, $ in. by in. It is set in silver, with a bar on each side through which a ribbon can be passed. I have been told that there were similar miniatures of James II.

M. ELLEN POOLE.

Alsager, Cheshire.

JOHN DBUMMOND was admitted to West- minster School in June, 1735, aged 12. Can any correspondent of ' N. & Q.' help me to identify him ? G. F. R. B.

JOHN VESEY, ABCHBISHOP OF TUAM. Whom and when did he marry ? The ' Diet. Nat. Biog./ Iviii. 290, does not give the desired information. G. F. R. B.

ORNITHOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY. I should be much obliged for short bio- graphical information, especially the dates of the births and deaths, of any of the writers whose names appear in the list which I subjoin :

C. Stewart, author of ' Elements of Natural History. .. .particularly of all those that are natives of Britain,' 2 vols., 8vo. London, 1801.

George Graves, author of ' British Ornithology,' 3 vols., 8vo. London, 1811-21.

John Atkinson, author of ' A Compendium of the Ornithology of Great Britain,' 8vo. London, 1820.

Joseph Nash, author of ' A Practical Treatise on British Song-Birds,' 8vo. London, 1824.