194 
NATURE NOTES. 
when t' goarse is oot o’ flower.” Some flowers are “bad ” and 
unlucky ; foxgloves kill all other plants ; poppies will give a 
headache ; misfortune will follow those who bring trembling 
grass into the house, or whose apple and pear trees bear fruit 
and flowers at the same time. An old woman should gather 
silver weed whenever the opportunity presents itself, as it will 
bring her joy and riches in the coming year. There are many 
superstitions connected with parsley and parsley seed, and it 
is most unwise to allow a stranger to plant it in your garden. 
Watercress, like oysters, ought not to be eaten unless there is 
an R in the name of the month, but onions, on the other hand, 
should be put into everything because — 
“ An onion a day 
’111 keep t’ doctor away.” 
There is nothing like a potato for curing the rheumatism. 
A small one must be kept in the pocket, and as long as it re- 
mains soft and moist, so long will it continue to draw the 
rheumatics from the system. These are only a few of the many 
superstitions connected with our wild flowers — superstitions 
which have been handed down through successive generations, 
and which even now are firmly believed in and acted upon in 
many of our villages. 
W. M. E. Fowler. 
CHILDREN’S COLUMN. 
Flying Squirrels. — I should like to say a few words about 
the most amusing little animals we have ever kept for pets. 
These are some flying squirrels, which our brothers caught in 
Florida about five years ago, and which were brought to 
England after being kept in captivity in America for some 
months. They are extremely graceful, pretty little creatures ; 
and, considering the heat of their native country, are hardy, 
and not very susceptible of cold. Their small bodies are 
covered above with soft brown fur, while the under parts are all 
pure white. Their tails are broad and flat, and their large, 
prominent eyes are jetty black. Between the fore and hind legs 
the skin is loose, enabling them to leap long distances by forming 
a supporting membrane, which has earned for them the title of 
“ Flying Squirrels.” Ours became perfectly tame and happy, and 
one of them had four young ones — two at a time — which, however, 
all died, apparently of a kind of paralysis. They are bright, 
clean, intelligent little animals, with a provident habit of 
storing their food, which consists of nuts, corn, and fruit, while 
a live moth is an especial dainty. While loose in a room I have 
known one of them put nuts in a single boot to the number of 
dozens, running to and fro with untiring industry, while at other 
