from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
EJUSDEM GENERIS. Of the same kind.
2. In the construction of laws, wills and other instruments, when
certain things are enumerated, and then a phrase is used which might be
construed to include other things, it is generally confined to things
ejusdem generas; as, where an act (9 Ann. C. 20) provided that a writ of quo
warranto might issue against persons who should usurp "the offices of
mayors, bailiffs, port reeves, and other offices, within the cities, towns,
corporate boroughs, and places, within Great Britain," &c.; it was held that
"other offices" meant offices ejusdem generis; and that the word "places"
signified places of the same kind; that is, that the offices must be
corporate offices, and the places must be corporate Places. 5 T. R. 375,379;
5 B. & C. 640; 8 D. & Ry. 393; 1 B. & C. 237.
3. So, in the construction of wills, when certain articles are
enumerated, the terra goods is to be restricted to those ejusdem generis.
Bac. Ab. Legacies, B; 3 Rand. 191; 3 Atk. 61; Abr. Eq. 201; 2 Atk. 113.