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 Collectanea. 289

district ; and many geologists, not to mention candidates for " the schools," owe much to Carter's knowledge. Some of the finest specimens of local fossils in the University Museum were collected by him, notably the series of Trigonia claveliata, and of Ammonites catenaia, f'-om the calcareous grit of Marcham, Cidaris Smithii from the grit of Headington, Glyphea Stricklandi and Rampho- rhyncus, from the Oxford clay of St. Clement's.

It was as a collector of fossils that I first met Carter, but subse- quently on turning my attention to folklore, it struck me that I might avail myself of his rambles over the country. He applied to his search for " old superstitions, stories, proverbs, words, &c." — such was his commission — the same keenness and shrewdness with which he had hunted fossils. In every case he wrote his information down before bringing it to me, and it is a selection from his MSS., copied practically verbatim, that forms the main body of these papers. I have added some items collected by myself at first-hand, together with explanatory notes where they seemed necessary. These are distinguished by square brackets, or are given as footnotes. For all else Carter is my authority. The dates give the time when he obtained the several items, and in most cases I have added the names of his informants.

I. Witchcraft.

Many years ago there lived in the village of Kirtlington an old woman called " Sarey Bowers," said to be a witch. She was the terror of all the children and young people, and something was sure to happen to any one who incurred her displeasure. She lived in an old hut at the top of the village, called Fox Town's End, which was a noted place for the hounds to meet at. A fox had been started from Town's End many times, but had never been caught, and Sarey was accused of bewitching both hounds and fox ; but on the last day of the season the fox was run so close it could scarcely get away. It found shelter, however, in Sarey's hut, and when the hounds were whipped off and the door opened, Sarey was sitting by the fire. They say that Sarey was herself the fox. — (June, 1894.)

About fifty years ago there was an old woman living at Newn- ham Murren, named Frewin, who was reckoned to be a witch. Many people while walking in the twilight were frightened by seeing a white cat that was said to be the old woman, and it was

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