320 On Wiltshire Traditions, Charms and Superstitions. 



Area, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recorded in all the Districts, but local in its 

 distribution. Barren frond ovate, obtuse, spathe-like. Fertile frond 

 club-shaped, springing apparently from the common rachis. Height 

 4 to 12 inches, erect, varying according to the luxuriance of the 

 surrounding vegetation. The barren frond is often forked at the 

 extremity, occasionly deeply lobed, and in very luxuriant specimens, 

 two or three spikes of fructification are developed instead of one. 



(§tt Certain MHMjiw Coitions, Cjmrms anir 

 ^ttnmititktts. 



By the Ret. A. C. Smith. 



(Read before the Society at the Annual Meeting at Swindon, September 16th, 1873.) 



S the education of the people progresses, and bids fair in due 

 course of time to penetrate into the most retired hamlets of 

 the county, it is manifest that the long-cherished traditions and 

 superstitions which still linger lovingly and very tenaciously in the 

 hearts of our old-fashioned peasantry, must gradually give way. 

 Not however, I suspect, altogether ; for these are the things which 

 in some cases will be found to be too deeply-rooted to be eradicated 

 in the life-time of those who hold them ; nay I doubt not, in some 

 instances they will cling to the memories, and obtain a certain 

 credence in the minds of some who are yet unborn, so hard is it to 

 do away with a once-credited belief, be it founded on never so absurd 

 a basis. 



Still the more uneducated of our people, even in the most retired 

 corners of the county, are beginning to be very shy of alluding to 

 these traditions and superstitions, though this was not the case 



