80 Transactions. 
tionally severe one. The belief has probably nothing but its 
beauty to commend it, but we almost think it deserves to live 
were it for that alone. The birds generally have come to look 
upon man as a foe, and it should be pleasing to find that one at 
least continues to trust in him as a friend. According to the old 
jingle— 
The robin and the wren 
Are God Almighty’s cock and hen ; 
If ye take out o’ their nest 
Ye’ll never thrive again. 
Would that a similar notion of illluck attended the persecution 
of all our birds. The yellow-hammer, less fortunate than the 
robin, is the subject of universal reproach, and for no other 
reason that we know of than that it chances to wear the devil’s 
livery of yellow. The song of the yellow hammer is monotonous 
in the extreme, and in Glencairn the notes of which it is com- 
posed have been interpreted into the request “ please will ye gie 
me a wee bit bread and cheese?” the e in the final syllable 
being drawn out to correspond with the last note of the song. 
Among quadrupeds the cat has long been looked upon with 
suspicion, a circumstance due no doubt to the belief that this was 
one of the forms in which witches were wont to masquerade, 
Great importance seems to have been attached to the position 
in which the first lamb or the first foal was seen, for should 
either of these animals be discovered ‘‘lying,” then a year of 
sickness was signified, but if seen in motion then health and 
activity were supposed to be assured throughout the year. That 
humble little animal the house-cricket, or ‘“charker,” as it is 
locally called, has been extremely fortunate in the superstitions 
which attach to it, and there are few people who would knowingly 
kill a “ charker,” as its companions would be sure to eat holes in 
their clothes. “Charkers” are likewise supposed to bring luck 
to a house, and I am credibly informed that they are occasionally 
captured and conveyed to the home in the hope that luck will be 
conveyed there with them. The snail, again, is esteemed an 
invaluable remedy for warts. Here is the recipe :—Procure a 
black snail and kill it, rub the wart or warts with it once a day 
for a week, and carefully preserve the snail after each application. 
By the end of the prescribed period the wart will become dry 
and crumble away. When bees swarm they are “rung down” 
