Nos. 872, 880-882.--It is interesting to notice this illustration of the
doctrine of signatures. Excrescences of such varied character, whether
animal or vegetable, are supposed by contact to cause warts, doubtless
simply because of the accidental resemblance.
Nos. 889-896.--It seems that any juices of peculiar or marked color are
popularly credited with curative power. The plants whose juices are
thought to cure warts are, it will be noticed, of wide botanical range.
In all probability there is no similarity in the effects to be obtained
from the application of their sap.
No. 979.--The somewhat unusual phenomenon of rain falling while the sun
is shining seems to have so attracted the attention of the human mind as
to have given rise to various sayings.
A native of Western Africa told me that among his tribe, the Vey people,
it was always said when the sun shone as rain fell that it was a sign
that a leopardess had just given birth to young.
In Japan the occurrence is said to indicate that a wedding procession of
foxes is passing near by, and the children have a pretty habit of running
to the supporting pillars of the house, to place the ear against the
timbers and listen for the footfalls of the foxes. The little people also
interlace their fingers in a certain way, then peeping through the chinks
between the fingers they declare they can see the wedding-train.
Nos. 1020-1028.--The mackerel sky is a name given to an assemblage of
cirrus clouds which are thought to imitate the barred markings on the
side of a mackerel.
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