Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 6.djvu/359

 12 85. VI. JUKE 12, 1980.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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'The other, in pencil, represents another "Col. Watson, in civilian dress, surmised to be a relative of the first named.

I wish to ascertain if these portraits are of a General and Col. Watson who lived at Wendover, and died there about the begin- ning of the last century. If any readers of question I should be grateful.
 * N. & Q.' could throw any light on the

J. T. FOSTER, F.S.A. Aldwick, Button.

"CALKERS" : "CLOGS." In Carlisle and the neighbourhood this word is used as the equivalent of " clog." No dictionary seems to recognize this use. Has it been recorded -anywhere ? In Lancashire clogs are known as " irons."

A common proverb, referring to a person who has married unwisely or got himself into trouble is " He's caulkered his clogs this time " the exact meaning of which is not easy to make out. A. R.

[ ' The English Dialect Dictionary 'igives " the iron rim or plate on a wooden clog or shoe-heel " SMS the second meaning of " calker," which may lso be spelt " cakker," " coaker " and " cawker." The use of it instead of " clog " comes therefore pretty near " irons " ; it is assigned to Yorkshire and Lancashire as well as Cumberland. " Calkered " is said to be " bound with iron like clogs " or " iron shod, tipped with iron."]

SIB SAMUEL EGERTON BBYDGES. What is Cushing's authority for saying that Sir -Cosmo Gordon who wrote a well-known essay on Lord Byron in 1824 (it was originally published in The Pamphleteer) was Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges ?

J. M. BULLOCH.

37 Bedford Square, W.C.I.

FLORENTIUS VASSEL was admitted to Westminster School in 1719, aged 10. Can any correspondent of ' N. & Q.' give me particulars of his parentage, and career ?

G. F. R. B.

TOVEY. Berners and Richard Tovey were admitted to Westminster School in' 1734. Thomas Tovey of London was -elected to Trin. Coll., Camb., from West- minster School in 1645 and graduated B.A. in 1649. Particulars of their parentage and careers are desired. G. F. R. B.

MAJOR WILLIAM PARRY. Some bio- graphical facts re parentage, birth date, nature of services and when the aforesaid Major of Lord Byron's brigade died, would be esteemed. ANEURIN WILLIAMS.

Menii View, North Road, Carnarvon.

MONKEY'S WINE. The belief that mon- keys know how to make wine has been current among the Japanese mountaineers. Nishizawa Ippo (1802-52), says :

" Some years ago I tasted the Monkey's Wine of Kiso Mountains sent by a friend in Shinshii. It is held to originate in hollows in the arils and knobs of trees, wherein the autumnal fruits stored by monkeys ferment after being moistened with rains and dews. When found, a man takes home the mass, puts it in a hempen bag and squeezes it, the issue being a liquid black and thick with thB taste between sweetish and astringent. Some- how it appears to be a mysterious elixir." ' Kwoto Gosui,' 1st Ser., torn. ii.

Is there an instance of the monkey's wine recorded from any other country than Japan ? KUMAGUSU MINAKATA.

Tanabe, Kii, Japan.

PRICE FAMILY. On a white gravestone at the east end of the Parish Church, Croy- don, Surrey, before the church was destroyed by fire in January, 1867, was the following inscription :

'' Here lyeth the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Price, wife of Herbert Price of the County of Hereford gent., and daughter to Thomas Morton of White House in this Parish Esquire, who departed "this life the 15th day of February in the 35th year of her age, 1701-2. Also near this place lyeth three of their children (viz.) Jane, Susanna and Thomas Price."

To what family of Price did they belong ? Any information will be gratefully received.

LEONARD C. PBICE. Essex Lodge, Ewell.

DOCK-LEAVES AND NETTLE STINGS. What ig the explanation of the effect of dock-leaves on nettle stings ? They certainly appear to relieve the irritation, which is due to formic acid. If blue litmus paper is lightly struck with nettles it turns pink, indicating the acid of the stings. Consequently one ex- pected the dock-leaves to contain an alkali to neutralise the acid, but on testing crushed dock-leaves with litmus paper they were found to be strongly acid !

ALFRED S. E. ACKERMANN.

" FLOCKS " AND " HERDS." Can any reader of ' N. & Q.' inform me whether " flock" was ever a noun of definite number ? Did a " flock " of sheep ever mean a definite number of sheep ? Was there ever a definite number attached to a "herd" of cattle, either in this country, or in North or South America, or in the languages of antiquity ? The ' N.E.D.' gives no light on this point. ROBT. S. PENGELLY.

12 Poynders Road, Clapham Park, S.W.4.