40 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [oct. 24, 
him as fancy may dictate. He then repeats a peculiar doggerel, 
sometimes with a rapidity which can only be acquired by great 
familiarity and a dextrous tongue, and pointing with the hand 
or forefinger to each child in succession, not forgetting himself 
(or herself), allots to each one word of the mysterious formula: 
One-ery, two-ery, ickery, Ann, 
Fillicy, fallacy, Nicholas, John, 
Queever, quaver, English, knaver, 
Stinckelum, stanckelum, Jericho, buck ! 
This example contains sixteen words; if there is a greater 
number of children a longer verse is used, but generally the 
number of words is greater than the number of children, so that 
the leader begins the round of the group a second time, and may- 
hap a third time, giving to each child one word of the doggerel. 
Having completed the verse or sentence, the child on whom the 
last word falls is said to be ‘‘ out,” and steps aside. In repeating 
the above doggerel, the accent falls on the first syllable of each 
polysyllabic word; a very common ending is: 
One, two, three, 
Out goes she (or he) ! 
and the last word is generally said with great emphasis, or 
shouted. 
After the child thus ‘‘ counted-out ” has withdrawn, the leader 
repeats the same doggerel with the same formalities, and, as 
before, the boy or girl to whom the last word is allotted is 
‘fout” and stands aside. The unmeaning doggerel is repeated 
again and again to a diminishing number of children, and the 
process of elimination is continued until only two of them 
remain. ‘The leader then counts-out once more, and the child 
not set free by the magic word is declared to be “7é,”’ and must 
take the objectionable part in the game. 
The word ‘‘7¢” is always used in this technical sense, denoting 
the one bearing the disagreeable duty, or perhaps the distin- 
guished part, in a game; no child questions its meaning, nor 
have we learned of any substitute for this significant mono- 
syllable; it is not safe, however, to assert that there is no equiva- 
lent when we consider the innumerable whims of the army of 
children. The declaration toachild: ‘“‘ You are i¢/” following 
the process of counting out, seems to carry with it the force 
of a military order, and is, in many cases, more promptly obeyed 
than a parent’s command. 
Children learn these rhymes by sound alone from their play- 
mates a few years older ; though accuracy is faithfully attempted, 
changes are introduced from time to time, and in the course of 
generations the results would scarcely be recognized by the chil- 
