ne
weather.

Kites flying aloft betokens fine weather.

Peacock's feathers, even now, are considered to bring bad luck into a
house.

When you see a heron flying the first time in the year put the tips of
your right thumb and the finger nearest the thumb together and form a
ring. Then wish and at the same time spit through the opening, and if
the spittle does not touch the hand the wish comes to pass. This, I
believe, is a strictly local custom, as there is a heronry in Milton
Park, about three miles from Peterborough.

BEES.

On the death of their master or mistress one of the family or household
must go to the hives and tap on them and say who is dead and who is to
be their new master. If this is neglected the bees will pine away. Some
sugared beer is given to the bees at these times.

The various flights of bees are named as follows: A swarm. 2. A cast. 3.
A colt or second cast, and should there be a fourth, which is very rare,
it is called a spem--a swarm from a swarm is called a virgin swarm.

The different values of the swarms are described in this rhyme:

A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay;
A swarm of bees in June
Is worth a silver spoon;
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth a fly.

Bees flying far from their hives and coming home late foretells fine
weather.

Bees are more industrious just before rain, but do their best to reach
their hives before the rain falls.

INSECTS.

Spiders were considered efficacious in cases of Ague. If put alive in a
bag and tied round the neck or swallowed alive wrapped in paste.

If you wish to live and thrive
Let the spiders run alive.

Spider webs in the air or on the grass and nets foretells fair weather.

A spider on one's clothes means a new suit or dress.

Woodlice, of the kind which roll themselves up when touched, if
swallowed in that state, were taken for the ague.

With regard to wearing out boots, there is a doggrel on this subject:--

Trip at the toe, live to know woe,
Trip at the ball, live to spend all,
Trip at the heel, live to do well.

One funeral brings two more.

A variation of this makes the "two more" dependent on a Sunday
intervening between the death and burial of the body.

Another variation affirms that the first death must be that of a female.

When a grave opens for a "she," it will open for three.

It is the custom, in some places, to place some salt, in a pewter plate,
on