Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 12.djvu/339

 9*s. XIL OCT. at, loos.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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first published in London as far back as 1802 in 'Lectures on Comparative Anatomy,' translated from the French of G Cuvier (previously only the French form Ophidiens had been used). Furthermore, earlier quota- tions for other words on the same page could be given. Here are several :

Under Ophidian, the earliest quotations are for 1826 (A) and 1832 (B). These might be replaced by the following :

(A) c. 1813, Rees's * Cyclopaedia,' xxix., pentes."
 * Reptiles,' col. 2, "Ophidian order; Ser-

(B) c. 1813, Rees's ' Cyclopaedia,' xxix., 'Reptiles,' col. 15, "Teeth of the Ophidians."

Tne words (A and B) are used in many other places.

For opkiology the earliest citation is 1828, "Webster." The word was actually used as the title of a long article in the * Edinburgh Encyclopaedia,' xv., published about 1820, and previously in an article on 'Herpetology ' in vol. xi., published in or before 1817, and in 1817, Blackwooffs Ed. Magazine, i. 187.

Copies of the cyclopaedias cited are only accessible at present with the dates of the completed works, and not of the special parts ; those for the latter are estimated and perhaps not exact.

Neighbouring words on the same page are erroneously denned, and illustrations do not illustrate. An example is Ophidium. This is not " a genus of gadoid fishes " (accepting the definition of " gadoid " in the dictionary), and never has been regarded as such by any authority. While the quotation for 1752 is very apt, the others for the same century are not. As that for 1774 is the latest purporting to refer to it, a sentence published in the closing decade of the last century is submitted as so pertinent as to be preferable to any at hand for the present, and it is only eight years old.

1895, Smitt, Hist. Scand. Fishes,' ii. 595, "The genus Ophidium, which has given its name to the family [Ophidiidce] as well as to the subfamily [Ophidiince], is fairly common

in the Mediterranean Pliny probably

referred to it."

Ophidium is really the type genus of "Ophidioid 3 ' fishes or Ophidiidce, which are merely a family of Ophidioidea. Ophidioid consequently should have been defined, conformably with the style of the 'H.E.D.,' as (a) belonging to the family Ophidiidce of anacanthine or jugular fishes ; (b) a fish of this family.

ake the sun, the lesser luminary of Oxford has spots ; but yet it enlightens the world, and we all feel grateful for its rays, notwith-

standing the failure of some on account of clouds. THEO. GILL.

Cosmos Club, Washington, U.S.

For early instances of the use of ornithology may I quote the following titles ?

Ornithology of Francis Willughby, F.R.S., trans- lated and enlarged by the Rev. John Ray, F.R.S., 1678.

Wilson and Bonaparte, Arnerican Ornithology, 1832.

Illustrations of Indian Ornithology, 1847.

L. L. K.

COUNT DE BRUHL (9 th S. xii. 189, 275). " February 6, 1855. At Chingford, Essex, age 86, George Count de Bruhl, the celebrated chess player, once famous as the principal antagonist of Phili- dor." Gentleman's Magazine, xliii. 441.

Philidor's games of chess with him and others have frequently been printed. Some account of Briihl will probably be found in the chess periodicals of 1855. His name does not appear in the biographical dictionaries. He is mentioned in 'D.N.B.,' under 'Philidor/ as the leading amateur in a new chess club, about 1772, at the Salopian Coffee-House, Charing Cross. ADRIAN WHEELER.

HOLBEIN PORTRAITS (9 th S. xii. 48, 134). In Lodge's ' Portraits ' are engravings of no fewer than twenty-two portraits by this great artist, and no doubt some of them on panel. Let me refer to Stanley's edition of 'Bryan's Dictionary of Painters and Engravers ' for a long catalogue of the works of this celebrated artist.

JOHN PICKFORD, M.A.

Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.

CARSON (9 th S. xi. 488; xii. 19, 110). Alexander Carson became M.R.C.S.Eng. in 1850, and fifty years ago was in practice at 121, Cockhill, Ratcliffe, London. Stewart Carson became L.R.C.S.Edin. and L.M. in 1829, and was in practice up to thirty years ago at Nenthead, Alston, Cumberland. He was surgeon to Lond. Lead Comp. for Nenthead, medical officer and public vaccina- tor for the Nenthead and Garrigill District of the Alston Union, and honorary assistant surgeon to the 6th Cumberland Rifle Volun- teers. Thomas Carson in 1869 resided at 42, Smithdown Road, Liverpool. He studied at the Carmichael School of Medicine, Dublin, and became L.R.C.S.I. He was first senior Carmichael prizeman and medalist, and was surgeon to the Richmond, Whitworth, and Hardwicke Hospitals, Dublin, also late Demonstrator of Anatomy at the Carmichael School of Medicine, and senior visiting surgeon to the Liverpool South Dispensary. Alexander T. Carson, of Coleraine, co. Lon-