234 



AJSmSAL MEETING. 



" The Parliamentary Election in Truro, 1832," by Mr. P. 



Jennings, of St. Day. 

 " The Fauna of Falmouth, 1895-6," by Mr, E. Vallentin. 

 " On some Prehistoric Eemains in Corn-wall," by Eev. S. 



Eundle, M.A. 

 " Folk-lore and remarkable Superstitions in Cornwall," 



were also referred to by Mr. Nevill E. Norway. 



He said that he was very much interested in the superstitions 

 of the county, especially those connected with medical science, 

 and he had been wondering whether a collective effort could be 

 made by the Council of the Institution to gather up the 

 superstitions which were rapidly dying out. They would not 

 merely be subjects of interest, but would show the usage and 

 character of the people. A man came to him suffering from 

 rheumatism and lumbago, and expressed great surprise that he 

 was still in pain, although he had killed a cat on the 1 2th of 

 May, and had worn the skin on his back since. The man 

 believed that he had followed a course which would prove a 

 certain cure, and inquired whether the fact of the skin having 

 had yellow hairs in it made the difference. He (the doctor) said 

 he did not know that yellow had any effect upon rheumatism, 

 upon which the man exclaimed : " Not know that yellow was 

 bad for rheumatism. Why Tom Chegwidden went to Perran- 

 porth courting with a yellow necktie on, and died that day three 

 weeks." Such things as these were not, he thought, beneath 

 the dignity of the Institution to inquire into. 



The Chairman said he would be glad if anyone would 

 coUect information. He was quite aware that in certain parts 

 of the county it was considered improper to wash linen on 

 certain days in the month, at the end of May no article of 

 linen being washed at all. He hoped anyone with information 

 of legends and curious customs would bring them forward.* In 



* The Editors of tte Journal invite communications on Folk-lore, supersti- 

 tions, and kindred subjects, and would call attention to several works already 

 published which give a considerable amount of information on such topics : — 

 notablj, "Hunt's Romances and Drolls," including traditions and superstitions 

 of Cornwall ; also Bottrell's Traditions and Stories of West Cornwall," (3 

 Toiumes) ; Whitcombe's "By-gone Days in Devon and Cornwall ;" Forfar's 

 "Wizard of West Penwith," &c. ; and scattered notes by the late Mr. T. Q. 

 Couch (Surgeon) in some of the earlier numbers of this Society's Journal. 



