468 REPORT — 1897. 



smoke is supposed to effect a cure. If there are no feathers available at 

 the time, a fowl is killed without delay and plucked, and the feathers 

 are used. 



311. Kirkinaiclen. — Before the cows were put forth to grass for the 

 first time in spring, some had the custom of sprinkling over them a 

 mixture of salt and urine that has been long kept, and thus smelt 

 strongly. 



312. Dairy. — Sixty years ago my informant has seen fire put down 

 in the byre-doorway on Beltane, and the cows were made to pass 

 over it. 



313. Corsock. — It is the belief that, if a cow or a ewe, immediately 

 after coition, gets a fright from any object, the offspring is of the same 

 colour as the object that causes the fright. John McKie at Drumhuphry, 

 Kirkpatrick-Durham, was one day leading a black Galloway cow from 

 the bull, when a white animal jumped a hedge near the cow. She took 

 fright. The offspring of the cow was white. 



314. Kirkmaiden. — A little salt used to be put by some on a cow's 

 back when bought. 



315. If a cow began to tremble, it was believed she had been struck 

 with a fairly shot. A wise woman was sent for, and she carefully groped 

 over the animal's body for the hole made by the shot. A cure was a 

 cjuantity of soot, salt, and butter made up into three balls, and put down 

 the animal's throat. 



316. A man's cow became ill and fell down. A ' skeely ' woman was 

 sent for. She came and rubbed the animal all over with an 'elf-shot.'" 

 The animal jumped up as if nothing had been the matter. 



317. Corsock. — If a cow did not give her milk, some feathers were 

 taken from a pillow or bolster, placed before her, right under her nose,, 

 and set fire to, so that she might inhale the smoke. 



318. Kirkmaiden. — A byre-girl sprinkles her urine over a cow's 

 back when she is going to calve. This is done to keep off witches 

 and ill-luck. Not long ago a farmer's widow ordered her byre-girl to 

 do this. 



319. When a cow dropped the calf, a little salt was placed on her 

 back. 



320. Tungland. — Some salt or oatmeal was put on the cow's bach 

 over the ' neers,' i.e., kidneys, when she dropped the calf. 



321. Kells. — My informant's mother used to put a little oatmeal on 

 the cow's back after the calf was dropped. 



322. Tungland. — When a cow calved, oatmeal and salt mixed together 

 were sprinkled along the cow's back and over the calf. 



323. Balmagltie. — A mixture of oatmeal and salt was put on the cow's 

 back over the kidneys when she dropped the calf. 



324. Tungland, Kirkmaiden. — Beesnan is the name of the milk first 

 drawn from the cow after calving. Part of it is at times given to the 

 cow. 



325. Kirkmaiden. — When the cow calved, a little salt was, and is 

 still, put by some into the pail into which the milk is drawn. (From 

 more than one informant.) 



326. My informant has seen a sixpenny piece put into the pail into 

 which a cow was milked the first time after calving. (More than one 

 informant.) 



327. Part of the milk of newly-calved cows is cooked into a dish 



