uneral started for the church. He said that he was in such
distress at the loss of the child, that he had neglected to tell the bees
of the death, and, said he, some other member of the family is now sure
to go. He informed Mrs. Jones that he had turned the hive at the death
of his old woman, and that consequently no death had followed hers in his
family.

_Putting Bees in Mourning_.

This is done after a death in a family, and the bees are put into
mourning by tying a piece of black ribbon on a bit of wood, and inserting
it into the hole at the top of the hive.

_Stolen Bees_.

It was believed that stolen bees would not make honey, and that the hive
which had been stolen would die.

_A Swarm entering a House_.

Should a swarm enter a house, it was considered unlucky, and usually it
was a sign of death to someone living in that house.

The culture of bees was once more common than it is, and therefore they
were much observed, and consequently they figure in the folk-lore of most
nations.

_Cat_.

The cat was thought to be a capital weather glass. If she stood or lay
with her face towards the fire, it was a sign of frost or snow; if she
became frisky, bad weather was near. If the cat washed her face,
strangers might be expected; and if she washed her face and ears, then
rain was sure to come. A _black_ cat was supposed to bring luck to a
house, thus:--

Cath ddu, mi glywais dd'wedyd,
A fedr swyno hefyd,
A chadw'r teulu lle mae'n hyw
O afael pob rhyw glefyd.

A black cat, I've heard it said,
Can charm all ill away,
And keep the house wherein she dwells
From fever's deadly sway.

Cats born in May, or May cats, were no favourites. They were supposed to
bring snakes or adders into the house. This supposition has found
utterance:--

Cathod mis Mai
Ddaw a nadrodd i'r tai.

Cats born in May
Bring snakes to the house.

In some parts the black cat was otherwise thought of than is stated
above, for this injunction is heard:--

Na chadw byth yn nghylch dy dy
Na cheiliog gwyn na chath ddu.

Never keep about thy house
A white cock or _black_ puss.

Cats are so tenacious of life that they are said to have nine lives. We
have already spoken of witches transforming themselves into cats.

A singular superstition connected with cats is the supposition that they
indicate the place to which the dead have gone by as