BEETLE 399 



The word " beisteag " used for a dung-beetle has been found 

 in the following lines, from a poem by A. McDonald : — 



" Tuitidh tusa mar a bheisteag Thou wilt fall like the dung-beetle 



'Na t-ionad fein am buachair mart, " (beastie) 



Into thine own place, the cow's dung. 



There are 3300 different kinds of beetles in the British list alone. 

 The gaily-coloured ladybird beetles, it is to be noted, are all 

 rejected by insectiverous animals. The dor-beetle is so named 

 from the sleepy hum it emits in its flight, and on that account is 

 called dronny (Skelton). 



The burying-beetle is to be handled with great caution owing to 

 its most offensive smell (see " Nether Lochaber " as to this). It is 

 called cancer, from the Latin name for crab, but a belief is said to 

 exist that it is so called because its bite produces that terrible 

 disease. The dung-beetle is spared by boys, but the clock or 

 black beetle is mercilessly killed, the alleged reason being that the 

 former met those who came to seize the person of our Saviour, 

 and was asked how long since He had passed, when it answered, 

 "twenty days ago yesterday," fichead la gus an dechaidh Mac Dhe 

 seachad ; but the latter said, " an de, an de," yesterday, yesterday, 

 hence when boys kill a " docker " they repeat these words — 



" Air a bho'n de a bhradag 

 Air a bho'n de. " 



A beetle called "Gooldie," which has a beautiful bronze- 

 coloured back, is a great favourite with and pet of children ; it is 

 considered lucky to possess one. On the other hand, the black- 

 jet or jet-black beetle is thought unlucky to appear in the house. 

 Though not considered a sign of dirt, this beetle should always be 

 thrown into the fire when it does appear, despite the belief that 

 rain is said to follow the day after killing one. The old rhyme 

 addressed by so many south-country children, etc., to the 

 ladybird is : — 



" Lady, Lady Landers, Lady, Lady Landers 

 Take up yir cloak about yir heid 

 An' flee awa tae Flanders. 

 Flee ower firth an' flee ower fell, 

 Flee ower pule an' rinnin' well. 

 Flee ower muir an' flee ower mead, 

 Flee ower livan' an' flee ower deid. 

 Flee ower corn an' flee ower lea. 

 Flee ower river an' flee ower sea ; 

 Flee ye east or flee ye west 

 Flee till him that loes me best. " 



Among place-names derived from beasts, birds, etc., we find 

 the following in a note to O'Donovan's famous rendering of the 

 Annals of the Four Masters, 1595, " Beal-atha-slisen or slissen," also 

 " Atha-slisean," which is said to mean, mouth of the ford of the 

 beetles. 



