Sir,
I return the following Answers to your Queries which were these,
[1. What Fishes are meant by the Names, Halec and Mugil?
2. What is the Bird which you will receive from the Bearer? and what Birds are meant by the Names Halcyon, Nysus, Ciris, Nycticorax?
3. What Insect is meant by the word Cicada?]
Answer to Query 1.
The word Halec we are taught to render an Herring, which, being an ancient word, is not strictly appropriable unto a Fish not known or not described by the Ancients; and which the modern Naturalists are fain to name Harengus; the word Halecula being applied unto such little Fish out of which they were fain to make Pickle; and Halec or Alec, taken for the Liquamen or Liquor itself, according to that of the Poet,
——Ego fæcem primus et Alec
Primus et inveni piper album——
And was a conditure and Sawce much affected by Antiquity, as was also Muria and Garum.