Cornish Folk Lore.
—A recent old cottage tenant at Poliphant, near Launceston, when asked why he allowed a hole in the wall of his house to remain unrepaired, answered that he would not have it stopped up on any account, as he left it on purpose for the piskies (Cornish for pixies) to come in and out as they had done for many years. This is only a sample of the current belief and action.
S. R. P.
DICTIONARY OF ARCHAIC AND PROVINCIAL WORDS.
Will you allow me to suggest that, under the above, or some such heading, "N. & Q." should receive any words not to be found in any well-known dictionary; such, for instance, as Halliwell's or Webster's, which do not by any means contain all the words belonging to the class of which they profess to be the repositories. You may also invite barristers, reporters, professional men generally, and others, to send such waifs of this description as they meet with. "N. & Q." will then soon become in this department of literature, as it is already in many others, a rich mine from which future authors will draw precious store of knowledge. I will begin by giving one or two examples.
Earth-burn. An intermittent land-spring, which may not show itself for several years. There is such a spring, and so named, near to Epsom.
Lavant. A land-spring, according to Halliwell. But this also is an intermittent spring. The word is probably from lava, to flow.
Pick. (Lancashire.) To push with the hand. "I gen her a pick;" that is, "I pushed her from me;" or, "I gave her a violent push forward."
Pick is also the instrument colliers get coals with; or an excavator gets earth with; or a stonemason uses to take the "rough" off a stone. He may also finish the face of ashlar by "fine-picking" it.
Gen. (Lancashire.) A contraction of the word gave.