Birmingham.
Footnote 5:[(return)]
The Petromyzon by attaching itself to a stone forms a drill, by which it furrows the shoal for the deposit of its spawn.
Sheer, and Shear Hulk (Vol. vii., p. 126.)—A sheer hulk is a mere hulk, simply the hull of a vessel unfurnished with masts and rigging. A shear hulk, on the contrary, is the hull of a vessel fitted with shears (so termed from their resemblance to the blades of a pair of shears when opened), for the purpose of masting and dismasting other vessels.
The use of the word buckle, in the signification of bend, is exceedingly common both among seamen and builders. For its use among the former I can vouch; and among the latter, see the evidence at the coroner's inquest on the late melancholy and mysterious accident at the Crystal Palace.
W. Pinkerton.
Ham.
Serpent with a Human Head (Vol. iv., p. 191.).—The following passage from Gervasius Tilberiensis (Otia Imperialia, lib. i sect. 15.) shows that the idea of the serpent which tempted Eve, having a woman's head, was current in the time of Bede. I having not had an opportunity of finding whereabouts in Bede's writings the passage quoted by Gervasius occurs:
"Nec erit omittendum, quod ait Beda, loquens de serpente qui Evam seduxit: 'Elegit enim diabolus quoddam genus serpentis fœmineum vultum habentis, quia similes similibus applaudunt, et movit ad loquendum linguam ejus."