Jew's Harp.—The late Mr. Douce always maintained that the proper name of this instrument was the Jaw's Harp, and that the Jews had no special concern with either its invention or its use.
J.H.M.
Havior.—The word "havior" is probably of a hybrid character; partly of Anglo-Saxo, and partly of British origin. If so, the first syllable is obvious enough, "half" being generally pronounced as if the liquid were considered an evanescent quantity, "ha'f, heif, hav'," &c., and "iwrch" is the British word for a roe-buck. Dropping the guttural termination, therefore, and writing "ior" instead of "iwrch," we have the significant designation of the animal described by Lord Braybrooke, whose flesh, like that of the capon, may afford a convenient variety among the delicacies of the season, if well cooked according to the recondite mysteries of the gastronomic art.
Hypomagirus.
Trinity College, Oxford, Feb 14.
N.B. "Heifer" has already been explained as "heif-ker, half-cre," A.-S., "anner," Br.
Haviour, Haver, Hyfr (No. 15. p. 230, and No. 17. p. 269.).—If I may throw out a question where I cannot give an explanation, I would ask, are we not approaching very near to the word "heifer" (from the Saxon) in these, but especially in the last of the above terms? They seem to me to be identical. The introduction of the sound of y between the sounds of v and ur, is not uncommon in the vernacular or corrupted pronunciation of many words; nay, it is sanctioned by general usage, in "behaviour" from "behave," "Saviour" from "save," &c. If the words are identical, still the history of the appropriation of the one to male animals of the class described, and of the other to females, must be curious and worth investigating. May not the aver and averium, like irreplegibilia and other barbarous law terms, be framed (rather than derived) from one of our English terms, as well as from the French avoir?
G.W.
America known to the Ancients.—I have a note of the following references, as illustrating the passage quoted by "C." (No. 7. p. 107.), and countenancing the idea that the existence of America was at least suspected by the ancients. As I have not had an opportunity of consulting the authorities myself, I cannot tell how far they may affect the point in question; and I fear the references are not as accurate as might be wished, but I shall be truly glad if they prove at all useful:—Diodorus Siculus, Bibl. lib. iv. pp. 299, 300 edit. Rhodoman; Apuleius, De Mund. Oper. vol. ii. p. 122.; Avitus in Senec. Suasor.; Horn, De Origin. Americ. lib. i. c. 10. p. 57.
G. William Skyring.