Philippine Ishuids.— In the interior moun tain districts the natives have gods innumer able; gods of the air, of the water, and in fact of everything imaginable. When sickness or death approaches, the witch or sorceress of the village is called in. An ox and a pig are killed; she places the reeking skull of the pig over her own head and works herself into a frenzy of invocation. The spirits of the dead receive special honors and sacrifices are made in their behalf. Many curious demons and hob goblins abound in Philippine superstition, too munerous to be described in detail.
Poland.— Poland has a wealth of animal superstitions. The goat is there considered the best harbinger of luck, while the wolf, crow and pigeon are looked upon as unlucky. The skin of a cat worn on the chest is alleged to cure consumption.
Romany.— The people of the gypsy tribe believe that a coin or shell or pebble carried by a person becomes imbued with his or her per sonality. For that reason the Maria Theresa dollar is sought after by Romany people throughout the world. In all lands this piece of money is held in high esteem for magical purposes. The gypsies believe that witches use egg shells to make plates, pots and dishes to feed from at their banquets.
Rumania.— Rumanian mothers tie red rib bons around the ankles of their children to preserve them from being harmed.
Superstition has always found a place in Russia. The Russian General Skobeleff would never ride in battle any other horse than a gray one, since it was on a gray horse that he fought his first battle (in the Russian war, 1863) and he believed that it would be fatal to him to change afterward. The primitive Rus sians place a certificate of character in a dead person's hands, which is to be given to Saint Peter at the gates of heaven.
Samoa.— The natives of Samoa, in order to secure the admission 6f a departed spirit to the joys of their paradise, wreathe the head of the corpse with flowers, and offer, as the Chinese do, a baked pig to their god in the name of the departed.
Scotland it is considered un lucky for the mother and her baby to go out of doors until the child is baptized; to be en gaged with a ring containing either opals or emeralds; for lovers to give either a Bible as a present before marriage; to be married in a"month where there is a letter a., such as May; also unlucky for any of the wedding guests to be dressed in green or black ; a crepe bonnet or a band on a gentleman's hat. These ill omens en
tail lifelcmg misery to the newly married couple. A young woman who tries on a widow's cap is sure to be a widow after marriage. It is unlucky to try on your bridal dres's before the bridal day; to see your future husband on the day of the marriage until the ceremony. To bring flowering hawthorn into a house denotes a death in the family. In Scotland all salt cellars should be full on New Year's Day; otherwise the household having the empty cellars will suffer want during the ensuing year. In Scotland to pass a bare footed woman before going on board ship will result in scaring the fish away, and men bear ing the names Rosse, Fullie and White must never be on a fishing boat at the same time for the combination will °hoodoo° the catch. Scotch sailors will not speak of a four-footed animal while on the ocean.
Solomon Islands.— The savages of these islands believe that the world is a cocoanut shell of enormous dimensions, at the top of which is a single aperture communicating with the upper air, where human beings dwell. At the very bottom of this imaginary shell is a stem gradually tapering to a point which repre sents the beginning of all things. This point is a spirit or demon without human Lorin, whose name is °Root of All Existence." By him the entire fabric of creation is sustained. In the interior of the cocoanut shell, at its very bottom, lives a female demon. So narrow is the space into which she is crowded that she is obliged to sit forever with knee and chin touch ing. Her name is °The Very and from her are sprung numerous spirits. They inhabit five different floors, into which the great cocoanut is divided. From certain of these spirits mankind is descended. The island ers, regarding themselves as the only real men and women, were formerly accustomed to regard strangers as evil spirits in the guise of humanity, whom they killed when they could, offering them as sacrifices.
Spain.— The Spaniards never put the left foot down first when stepping on board a ves sel, for to do this will surely bring disaster. Spaniards, in the 16th century, beheved that spiders indicated gold where they were found in abundance. In Spain the new born infant's face is swept with a pine bough to bring good luck.