The reply of Dr. Hincks appears to require the following. While seeking information upon the first of these matters, I took up one of my old school-books, and at the foot of a page found the following note: "Britannia is from _Barat-anac_, the land of tin." I do not recollect to have seen it elsewhere; but it appeared to me so apt and correct that I adopted it at once. That the Shirutana of the Egyptian inscriptions, {446} or Shairetana, will be found to be the same people as the Ciratas of the Hindu Puranas, I have little doubt. Ciratas is there applied as a name to the people who were afterwards known to us as the Phoenicians; but that either the Shirutana or the Ciratas will be found to have discovered Britain, though they may have given it a name, I do not expect. The Ciratas were a people of a later age to that of the first inhabitants of Britain. The first inhabitants of Britain I call the Celtae, as I know no other name for them; but there seems reason for thinking that this island was visited by an earlier tribe, though probably they were of the same race. The origin of the Ciratas and first inhabitants of Britain is this:--A powerful monarchy appears to have been established at the earliest dawn of history in the country we now call Persia, long before there was any Assyrian government, and under this monarchy that country was the true centre of population, of knowledge, of languages, and of arts. Three distinct races of men appear to have migrated in different directions from this their common country. One of these divides into two parts, one proceeding to the west, the other to the south-east of the place where the division took place. The western party passed through Asia Minor, and also by the north of the Black Sea, carrying with it all that was then known of the different arts and sciences, until we find the descendants at this day in the British Isles. The south-eastern party, also, continued its progress to the part now known to us as India, where its descendants may be found at this day. Long after the settlement in India, various tribes, all proceeding from it, migrated from that country to the parts now known to us as Egypt and Syria; and one of these tribes was the Ciratas. That the Ciratas, Shirutana, or Phoenicians, call them as you may, were the first who passed the Pillar of Hercules in ships on their way to obtain tin here at first-hand, is almost certain; and that the western party, as described above, had broken ground to supply it long before their customers came for it, is scarcely less so. They all had a common origin, and used nearly the same language, religion, and laws. My Query has brought out a highly satisfactory elucidation of the origin of the term _Britain_; and this, looking at the position in which that term stood on the day the last Number of "N. & Q." was published is by no means a slight acquisition. I now leave it. G. W. Stansted, Montfichet. * * * * *