The lady-bird charm is repeated to the insect (the Coccinella septempunctata of Linnæus)—the common seven-spotted lady-bird—to be found in every field and garden during summer.
The lady-bird is placed upon the child's open hand, and the charm is repeated until the insect takes to flight. The warmth and moisture of the hand no doubt facilitate this, although the child believes fully in the moving power of the charm.
N.B. The lady-bird is also known as lady-cow, cow-lady, and is sometimes addressed as cusha-cow-lady.
ROBERT RAWLINSON.
School Superstitions.
—Several appear to exist in schools from generation to generation: do they exist anywhere else? and whence their origin? For instance "a boy who could not span his own wrist was a bastard;" "if you said the Lords Prayer backwards, the devil would come up," &c.
A. C.
The Nightmare.
—I recently observed a large stone, having a natural hole through it, suspended inside a Suffolk farmer's cow-house. Upon inquiry of a labourer, I was informed this was intended as a preventive of nightmare in the cattle. My informant (who evidently placed great faith in its efficacy) added that a similar stone suspended in a bed-room, or a knife or steel laid under the foot of the bed, was of equal service to the sleeper, and that he had himself frequently made use of this charm.
Is this practice common, and in what does it originate?