15 DECEMBER 1900, Page 14

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIE, — In re " What

is a collop' ? " it is not a "pure Scotticism," and has nothing to say to " mince-meat," but is an Irish mode of expressing the amount of stock a farm or field will carry to the acre. In Connaught we say " sum " or "somme," in Kerry it is " collop." Generally one cow equals a sum or collop. Two two- year-olds or three yearlings go to a collop. A peasant will tell you, " That field can feed so many sum or so many collops." Collop in the singular means consequently either one cow, or two two-year-olds, or three yearlings.—I am, Sir, &c.,

0. P.