_The Rev. Mr. Gay_ (Vol. iii., p. 424.).--The name of Gay is not very common in the West of England, and MR. TAGART may possibly obtain some account of the Rev. Mr. Gay from the descendants of Gay of Goldworthy, near Bideford, in the county of Devon, who sprang from Hampton Gay in the county of Oxford, but became seised of the manor of Goldworthy, about the year 1420, by marriage with the daughter and heir of Curtis of Goldworthy, a branch of the ancient family of Curtis of Lostwithiel, in the county of Cornwall. The latest representative of this family of Gay, of whom I have met with any notice, is Mr. Lawrence Gay, who, according to Lyson, was living in the year 1822 at South Molton, in the county of Devon. Lyson also says that "John Gay, the poet, was of this family." LLEWELLYN. _Lady Mary Cavendish_ (Vol. iii., p. 477.).--I know nothing of any _Lady Mary's_ having married Mr. Maudsley, or Mosley of the Guards; but it is certain that she could not have been, _strictly speaking_, of the same family as Sir Henry Cavendish of Ireland, whose wife was created Lady Waterpark, with remainder to her issue by Sir Henry, who was descended from a _natural son_ of the Devonshire family, and even, I believe, before it was ennobled; so that it cannot be said that any _Lady_ Mary Cavendish was of the same family as Sir Henry. C. _Hand giving the Blessing_ (Vol. iii, p. 477.).--In blessing the people, the clergy of the Church of Rome raise the thumb and two forefingers, and close the others, to represent the three persons of the Trinity; and they give this some divine origin; but it is really an adoption of a pagan symbol in use long before the introduction of Christianity, not only by the Romans, but the Egyptians also. In Akerman's _Archæological Index_, p. 116., is an engraving of a silver plate of Roman workmanship, in which the figures representing Minerva and Juno have their hands elevated with the thumb and finger so disposed, and the figure of Vesta has the left hand in the same position. I wish some of your correspondents who are familiar with the classics and Egyptian antiquities, would further illustrate the origin of this curious and ancient custom, which hitherto has been regarded as originating with the Church of Rome only. W. W. _The Oldenburg Horn_ (Vol. ii., pp. 417, 516.).--There is a good engraving of this Horn, and the tradition about it is related, in p. 264, of the curious _Dissertatio de admirandis mundi Cataractis_ of Johannes Herbinius, Amstelodami, 1678, of which book there is a copy in the library of the Geographical Society. W. C. TREVELYAN. Athenæum, June 16. 1851. _Covey_ (Vol. iii., p. 477.).--How could such a question be asked? Covey is _couvée_, French for a _brood_, a _hatching_, from _couver_, to hatch eggs. C.