ium_,
in the sense of cattle, tame beasts? _Averium_, from the old French,
_aveir_, i.e. _avoir_, originally meant any personal property; but
like _catalla_, chattels, it came to signify more particularly the
most important part of a peasant's possessions--namely, his live
stock. Thus, in the laws of William the Conqueror (Thorpe's _Ancient
Laws_, vol. ii. p. 469.), we find:--

"Si praepositus hundredi equos aut boves aut oves aut porcos
vel cujuscumque generis averia vagancia restare fecerit," &c.

The word may naturally enough have been applied to deer reduced to the
state of tame and domesticated cattle.

C.W.G.

[TREBOR furnishes us with a reference to _Pegge's Anonymiana_,
who endeavours to show that the proper term is "halfer;" on
the same principle that an entire horse is spoken of, the word
being pronounced "haver" by those who call half "hafe," while
those who pronounce half with the open _a_ say "hauver:" while
J. Westby Gibson suggests that Havior is _Evir_, from the
Latin "_Eviro, Eviratus, Eviratio_," but admits that he can
give no authority for the use of _Evir_.]

_Sir W. Hamilton_ (No. 14. p. 216.).--Douglas says, that this Sir W.
Hamilton was not _son_, but grandson and brother of the 1st and 2nd
earls of Abercorn, his father having died _vita patris_. I therefore
doubt that the inscription has been miscopied. "He was," Douglas says,
"resident at Rome, on the part of the Queen Dowager;" but this could
hardly be the service alluded to.

C.

_Dr. Johnson's Library_ (no. 14. p. 214.).--I have a copy of Dr.
Johnson's Sale Catalogue. The title is as follows:

"A catalogue of the valuable Library of Books of the late
learned Samuel Johnson, Esq., LL.D., deceased, which will be
sold by auction (by Order of the Executors) by Mr. Christie,
at his Great Room in Pall Mall, on Wednesday, February 16.
1785. and three following Days. To be viewed on Monday and
Tuesday preceding the Sale, which will begin each Day at 12
o'Clock. Catalogues may be had as above."

It is a Catalogue of 28 pages and 662 lots, of which 650 are books.
The twelve last are prints, chiefly "framed and glazed." The Catalogue
is very rare; there is not a copy in the British Museum, and Messrs.
Christie and Manson are without one. I may add, as your correspondent
is curious about Johnson's Library, that I have the presentation copy
to the Doctor of Twiss's _Trave