son_ (Vol. viii., p. 244.).--In the third edition of _In
Memoriam_, LXXXIX., 1850, the last line mentioned by W. T. M. is "Flits by
the sea-blue bird of March," instead of "blue sea-bird." This reading
appears to be a better one. I would suggest that the bird meant by Tennyson
was the Tom-tit, who, from his restlessness, may be said to flit among the
bushes.

F. M. MIDDLETON.

_Huet's Navigations of Solomon_ (Vol. vii., p. 381.).--This work of the
learned Bishop of Avranches was written in Latin, and translated into
French by J. B. Desrockes de Parthenay. It forms part of the second volume
of a collection of treatises edited by Bruzen de la Martiniere, under the
title of _Traites Geographiques et Historiques pour faciliter
l'intelligence de l'Ecriture Sainte, par divers auteurs celebres_, 1730, 2
vols. 12mo.

I am unable to reply to EDINA's second Query, as to the result of Huet's
assertions.

HENRY H. BREEN.

St. Lucia.

_Sincere_ (Vol. viii., pp. 195. 328.).--The derivation of this word from
_sine cera_ appears very fanciful. If this were the correct derivation, we
should expect to find _sinecere_, for the _e_ would scarcely be dropped;
just as we have the English word _sinecure_, which is the only compound of
the preposition _sine_ I know; and is itself _not a Latin word_, but of a
later coinage. Some give as the derivation _semel_ and [Greek: kerao]--that
is, once mixed, without adulteration; the [Greek: e] being lengthened, as
the Greek [Greek: akeratos]. The proper spelling would then be _simcerus_,
and euphonically _sincerus_: thus we have _sim-plex_, which does not mean
without a fold, but (_semel plico_, [Greek: pleko]) once folded. So also
_singulus_, semel and termination. The proper meaning may be from tablets,
_ceratae tabellae_, which were "once smeared with wax" and then written upon;
they were then _sincerae_, without forgery or deception. If they were in
certain places covered with wax again, for the purpose of adding something
secretly and deceptively, they cease to be _sincerae_.

J. T. JEFFCOCK.

[Pi]. [Beta]. asks me for some authority for the alleged practice of Roman
potters (or crock-vendors) to rub wax into the flaws of their unsound
vessels. This was the very burden of my Query! I am no proficient in the
Latin classics: yet I think I know enough to predicate that [Pi]. [Beta].
is wrong in his version of the line--

"Sincerum est nisi vas, quodcunque infundis acescit."

I understa