318 ON ERRATA RECEPTA. 



silence itself being official characteristics in that functionary. We 

 have this use of orator in connexion with one of the English Univer- 

 sities — where " Public Orator " denotes simply the organ or mouth- 

 piece of the corporation ; but in this case, eloquence, or at all events, 

 rhetoric art, the one allowably, the other generally of necessity, ig 

 associated with the title. 



Our Canadian term portage requires a little interpretation. In an 

 Article on Prof. Hind's work on Labrador it is evident that the Eng- 

 lish reviewer stumbled at first at this expression. He doubted as to 

 whether it was not Labrador for a certain measure of length, somewhat 

 as parasang is Persian for three or four miles. — The word traverse, 

 in the language of our Canadian boatmen, has likewiae a meaning 

 which is to a certain extent special, and in this application has given 

 names to some localities, as, for example. Great Traverse Bay in Lake 

 Michigan. — It is to be feared that our Sable Islands and Points Sable 

 — which of course simply bespeak their own arenaceous character — 

 sometimes convey to the English mind the notion that a certain valu- 

 able fur, met with only in Siberia, is among our peltries. Just as in 

 the well-known Cornisli " Perranzabulo " some have fancied they have 

 discovered a Hebrew element, instead of reading in it, as they ought 

 to have done, Peranus in sabulo — " St. Peran's in the Sand." 



"Bureau" is, in one respect, a kind of border word, being familiar 

 throughout Canada as a term for a Public Office — a sense in which it 

 is not popularly known in England. It usually denotes there, as it 

 does also 'here, a convenient article of household furniture. Its strict 

 signification, however, is the Table covered with a tapis of rough 

 drugget (jbure) at which officials are supposed to transact business. 

 It thus corresponds to our " Board " as applied to a body of Direc- 

 tors. In a somewhat similar manner, toilette — which describes now 

 with us, alike the act of dressing and the dress, is in reahty only the 

 toile — the cover thrown over the dressing table. " Bonnet," again, 

 is the name of a material used in the decoration or needful protection 

 of the head— applied at length to denote the head-covering itself; 

 just as castor and beaver have come to signify "hat." " Frock" also 

 (Gallice/roe), is the name of a coarse fabric in wool (Jloccus), of 

 which especially, the characteristic "frock " of the m.onk was made. 



Our word " Map " presents another allied instance of metonymy. 

 This is properly the French mappe, an old word for napkin A chart 

 of the world exhibited, when outspread, the regular folds of a newly- 



