20 COCCINELLIDiE — LADY-BIRDS. 



Flee ower firth, and flee ower fell, 

 Flee ower pule and rinnan' well. 

 Flee ower niuir, and flee ower mead, 

 Flee ower livan, flee ower dead, 

 Flee ower corn, and flee ower lea. 

 Flee ower river, flee ower sea, 

 Flee ye east, or flee ye west. 

 Flee till him that lo'es nie best. 



So it seems that also in Scotland, the Lady-bird, which 

 is still a great favorite with the Scottish peasantry, has 

 been used for divining one's future helpmate. This likewise 

 appears from a rhyme from the north of Scotland, which 

 dignifies the insect with the title of Dr. Ellison : 



Dr. Dr. Ellison, wliere will I be married? 

 East, or west, or south, or north? 

 Take ye flight and fly away. 



It is sometimes also termed Lady Ellison, or knighted 

 Sir Ellison; while other Scottish names of it are Mearns, 

 Aberd, The King, and King Galowa, or Calowa. Lender 

 this last title of dignity there is another Scottish rhyme, 

 which evinces also the general use of this insect for the 

 purpose of divination : 



King, King Calowa, 



Up your wings and flee awa' 



Over land, and over sea ; 



Tell me where my love can be.* 



There is a Netherlandish tradition that to see Lady-birds 

 forebodes good luck ;''^ and in England it is held extremely 

 unlucky to destroy these insects. Persons killing them, it 

 is thought, will infallibly, within the course of the year, 

 break a bone, or meet with some other dreadful misfortune.^ 



In England, the children are accustomed to throw the 

 Lady-bird into the air, singing at the same time, — 



Lady -bird, lady-bird, fly away home; 

 Your house is on fire, your children's at home, 

 All but one that ligs under the stone, — 

 Ply thee home, lady-bird, ere it be gone.* 



1 Jamieson's Scot. Did. Cf. Chambers' Fop. Rhymes, 1841, p. 

 170-1. 2- u , . V 



2 Thorpe's North. Mijthol.; iii. 328. 



3 Grose, Antiq. {Frov. Gloss.) p. 121. 



* Chambers' Fop. Rhymes, 1841, p. 170. 



