310 MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS 



now slowed down a bit, in which case you will find him 

 very agreeable. 



It really is a pity you can't come home by the 

 Sandwich Is. and stop the space of a steamer there ; 

 even Oahu, the island on which* Honolulu stands, has 

 not been worked, and I might tell you of a place there 

 where I think you would find a species of which only 

 one other specimen is known to exist, and that got more 

 than fifty years ago. 



Magdalene College, 



Cambridge, 



October 14, 1895. 



MY DEAR HARTING, 



I am extremely obliged to you for sending 

 the Swan book,* and I will return it in a few days. 

 I have also to thank you for your letter received this 

 morning and the accompanying copy of your article on 

 " cob and pen," which I am very glad to have. You 

 show abundant authority for the use of the words " cob " 

 and " pen," and I only wish I had known of it sooner. 

 But I cannot agree with you as to the meaning and 

 application of either. It is possible that " cob " may 

 refer to the " berry " on the cock Swan's bill, since the 

 word was used to signify any round substance, and in 

 that sense its diminutive (?) still survives in " cobble," 

 a round stone such as roads are paved with. 



But there was another signification ( = testiculus), 

 and as I find that a " cob horse " meant a " stone horse," 

 I was inclined to think that a " cob swan " was a male 

 possessing the natural power of procreation. I would 

 refer you to the " New English Dictionary " (sub voce), 

 into which I much wish I had looked before my article 

 " Cob " was published. 



All you say as to " Cop" is right enough, and as a 

 provincial word it has been known to me, in the sense 



* " The Orders, Lawes, and Ancient Customes of Swanns. Caused to 

 be printed by John Witherings, Esquire, Master and Govemour of the 

 Royall game of Swans and Signets throughout England. Printed by 

 August Mathewes, 1632." Sm, 4to, with Vignette of Swan on title page. 

 An exceedingly rare little volume. 



