treated.

_The Goat Sucker_.

A curious notion prevailed respecting this bird, arrived at, presumably,
in consequence of its peculiar name--the _goat sucker_--viz., that it
lives on the milk of the goat, which it obtains by sucking the teats of
that animal.

_Putting Hens to Sit_.

Placing the eggs in the nest for hens, geese, and ducks to sit on was
considered an important undertaking. This was always done by the lucky
member of the family. It was usual to put fowl to sit so as to get the
chick out of the egg at the waxing, and not at the waning, of the moon.
It was thought that the young birds were strong or weak according to the
age of the moon when they were hatched.

March chickens were always considered the best. A game bird hatched in
March was thought to be stronger and more plucky than those that broke
their shells in any other month, and, further, to obtain all extraneous
advantages, that bird which was hatched at full moon began life with very
good prospects.

A singular custom prevailed at Llansantffraid, Montgomeryshire, when
putting hens, and other fowl, to sit. I obtained the information from
the late Vicar, the Rev. R. H. M. Hughes, M.A., an observant gentleman,
who took a lively interest in all matters connected with his parish. I
was staying with him, and he made the remark that in his parish it was
considered lucky to place the hen, when she first began to sit, with her
head towards the church. This the cottagers in the village could easily
do, for the parish church was in their midst. I do not know whether this
kind of proceeding prevailed in other places.

The number of eggs placed under a hen varied with her size, but one
general rule was followed, viz., an odd number of eggs was always placed
under her; eleven or thirteen was the usual number, but never ten or
twelve.

_The Heron_.

The heron as it flies slowly towards the source of a river is said to be
going up the river to bring the water down, in other words, this flight
is a sign of coming rain. The same thing is said of the crane.

_Fable of why the Heron frequents the banks of rivers and lakes_.

It is from thirty to forty years ago that I heard the fable I am about to
relate, and the circumstances under which I heard it are briefly as
follows. I was walking towards Bangor from Llanllechid, when I saw a
farmer at work hedging. I stopped to chat with him, and a bramble which
had fastened itself