OCCASIONAL NOTES. 389 
signification it is often used by old writers; for instance, by Chaucer, who 
writes “bribours” for thieves (see ‘ The Frere’s Tale,’ Aldine ed., ii. 248). 
In a parliamentary Roll of Edward the Fourth’s time (Rot. Parl. 22 Ed. IV., 
n. 80) mention is made of persons who “ have stolen and bribed signetts,” 
z.e., cygnets. The word no doubt is an old hunting term borrowed from 
Norman times, and when it is remembered that the first thing a deer-stealer 
would do would be to cut up the stolen animal and distribute it amongst 
his fellows, to lessen the chance of detection, it seems clear that when 
Falstaff is made to say, “divide me like a brib’d buck,” he meant “cut me 
up and distribute me as you would a stolen deer.”—Ep. | 
GazELLE Hawrine 1n Eoypt.—With reference to the remarks under 
this head at p. 337, I may mention that, according to Canon Tristram,* 
the falcon used in the Sahara for the chase of the Gazelle is the Saker, 
Falco sacer. I do not think that any of the jerfalcons would live in 
Africa, and have never heard of their being brought there. —J. H. Gurney 
(Northrepps Hall, Norwich). 
SeAL KILLED IN A Sxurce.—A Seal was killed, on September 9th, at 
Leiston, in this county. It was shot while lying on the end of the Minsmere 
Sluice, which drains a large stretch of marshes here, and runs out some 
distance to sea. It is a young animal, and in good condition, weighing just 
thirty pounds, and measuring forty-one inches in length. It is being 
preserved by Mr. T. E. Gunn, of Norwich. The man who shot it saw one 
on the beach near this place some eight or ten years since.—G. T. Rorr 
(Blaxhall, Suffolk). 
Dovsie Micration oF THE Woopcock.— Some of your readers who 
study the habits of birds may be interested to hear that we have had in this 
district for the last two or three years what I believe to be two migrations 
of the Woodcock—one the usual winter migration, the other what I will call 
a summer or larger flight of birds that arrive in April or a little before that 
time to nest, and which leave with their young about the latter part of 
August or in the first week of September, as is the habit of Snipe in one 
or two localities that I could name. Robinson, in his ‘ Natural History 
of Cumberland and Westmoreland’ (1709), alludes to something similar in 
respect to the Swan when it used to nest in this district. He says:— 
“There come every year a number of Swans to winter upon this water 
(Bassenthwaite Lake), and in the spring they breed upon the little islands 
in the water, or in the sedge growing by the side of it, and as soon as the 
young brood take wing the old ones carry them into southern rivers.” The 
migratory habit of birds is a very interesting study, and particularly that of 
the wading and swimming class; and having been a wild-fowl shooter 
* «The Great Sahara,’ p. 63. 
