, as appearing on the
finger-nails, the hands, and elsewhere, before death. (See Brand's
_Popular Ant._, vol. iii. p. 177., Bohn's edit.) In Denmark they were
known under the name _Doeding-knib_ (dead man's nips, ghost-pinches), and
tokened the approaching end of some friend or kinsman. Another Danish
name was _Doedninge-pletter_ (dead man's spots); and in Holberg's _Peder
Paars_ (book i. song, 4.) _Doedning-knaep_. See S. Aspach, _Dissertatio de
Variis Superstitionibus_, 4to., Hafniae, 1697, p. 7., who says they are
of scorbutic origin; and F. Oldenburg, _Om Gjenfaerd ellen Gjengangere_,
8vo., Kjoebenhavn, 1818, p. 23.

GEORGE STEPHENS.

Copenhagen.

"_The Whippiad_" (Vol. vii., p. 393.).--The mention of _The Whippiad_ by
B. N. C. brought to my recollection a MS. copy of that satire in this
library, and now lying before me, with the autograph of "Snelson, Trin.
Coll. Oxon., 1802." There are notes appended to this copy of the verses,
and not knowing where to look in _Blackwood's Magazine_ for the satire,
or having a copy at hand in order to ascertain if the notes are printed
there also, or whether they are only to be found in the MS., perhaps
your correspondent B. N. C. will have the goodness to state if the
printed copy has notes, because, if there are none, I would copy out for
the "N. & Q." those that are written in the MS., as no doubt they would
be found interesting and curious by all who value whatever fell from the
pen of the highly-gifted Reginald Heber.

Perhaps the notes may be the elucidations of some college cotemporary,
and not written by Heber.

J. M.

Sir R. Taylor's Library, Oxford.

_The Axe that beheaded Anne Boleyn_ (Vol. vii., p. 332.).--In Britton
and Brayley's _Memoirs of the Tower of London_, they mention (in
describing the Spanish Armoury) the axe which tradition says beheaded
Anne Boleyn and the Earl of Essex; but a foot-note is added from Stow's
_Chronicle_, stating that the _hangman_ cut off the head of Anne with
one stroke of his _sword_.

THOS. LAWRENCE.

Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

_Palindromical Lines_ (Vol. vii., pp. 178. 366.).--Besides the
_habitats_ already given for the Greek inscription on a font, I have
notes of the like at Melton Mowbray; St. Mary's, Nottingham; in the
private chapel at Longley Castle; and at Hadleigh. At this last place,
it is noted in a church book to be taken out of Gregory Nazienzen (but I
never could find it), and a reference is made to Jeremy Tayl