"As long as the child is unbaptized it must be carefully watched for fear lest it be changed or stolen away." This is common to Christians, heathen, and gypsies to watch it for several days. "A piece of iron, or a broom laid beneath the pillow will keep spirits away." So in Roumania and Tuscany. Quintus Serenus, however, recommends that when the striga atra presses the infant, garlic be used, the strong odour of which (to their credit be it said) is greatly detested by witches. "The Romans used to cook their coena demonum for the house-spirits, and the Hindoos prepared food for them." From them it has passed through the gypsies to Eastern Europe, and now the Roumanian, who has by a simple ceremony made a contract with the devil, receives from him an attendant spirit called a spiridsui or spiridush which will "Serve his master faithfully For seven long year," but in return expecting the first mouthful of every dish eaten by his master. "So many differing fancies have mankind, That they the master-sprites may spell and bind." Nearly connected with the Roumanian we have the beliefs in magic of the Transylvanian Saxons, all of them shared with the gypsies and probably partially derived from them. Many people must have wondered what could have been the origin of the saying in reference to a very small place that "there was not room to swing a cat in it." "But I don't want to swing a cat in it," was the very natural rejoinder of a well-known American litterateur to this remark applied to his house. It is possible that we may find the origin of this odd saying in a superstition current in Transylvania, whither it in all probability was carried by the gypsies, whose specialty it is to bear the seeds of superstitions about here and there as the winds do those of plants. In this country it is said that if a cat runs away, when recovered she must be swung three times round to attach her to the dwelling. The same is done by a stolen cat by the thief if he would retain it. Truly this seems a strange way to induce an attachment--or pour encourager les autres. It is evident, however, that to the professional cat-stealer the size of his room must be a matter of some importance. It is a pity that this saying and faith were unknown to Moncrief-Maradan, "the Historiogriffe of Cats," ("OEuvres," Paris, 1794), who would assuredly have made the most of it. As regards entering new houses in Transylvania the rule is not "Devil take the hindmost," but the foremost. The first person or being who enters the maiden mansion must die, therefore it is safe to throw in a preliminary dog or cat. The scape-cat is, however, to be preferred.