Date:  Fri, 24 Mar 1995 14:20:54 CST

From:  "Donald M. Lance" <ENGDL[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MIZZOU1.BITNET>

Subject: Re: Picayune



People who have head lice must pick nits (louse eggs) if they can't

get to an apothecary and purchase a better solution.



Nit-picking has been around a long time, as long as cooties have been

around. A lot longer than 'picayune',whether as a noun, an adjective,

or the name of a newspaper.

I've heard people say 'nit-picky', an unsurprising derived form.

                   DMLance