The wood for this is cut on Whitsunday. A is turned towards the fortune-teller; nine seeds are now thrown on the drum, and with the left hand, or with a hammer held in it, the tambourine is tapped. Should all the seeds come within the four lines all will go well, especially if three come within a, d, e, f. If two roll into the space between a, i, it is lucky for a woman, between i and f for a man. But if nearly all fall outside of b, c, g, h, all is unfavourable. The same divination is used to know whether animals will get well, and where stolen property is concealed. All of this corresponds exactly to the use of the same instrument by the Laplanders for the same purposes. The thorn-apple is a very poisonous plant, and the gypsies are said to have first brought it to England. This is not true, but it is extremely possible that they used it in stupefying, killing, and "bewitching." It is very much employed at present by the Voodoo poisoners in America. The Turks are a Tartar race, and the drum is used among them very generally for magical purposes. I have one of these tambouri which, I was assured when I bought it, was made for incantations. It is of a diamond shape, has parchment on both sides, and is inscribed with the name Allah, in Arabic, and the well-known double triangle of Solomon, with the moon and star. To keep domestic animals from straying or being stolen, or falling ill, they are, when a gypsy first becomes their owner, driven up before a fire by his tent. Then they are struck with a switch, which is half blacked with coal, across the back, while the following is repeated:-- "Ac tu, ac kathe! Tu hin mange! Te Nivasa the jiánen-- Ná dikh tu ádálen! Trin lánca hin mánge, Me pçándáv tute: Yeká o devlá, ávri O Kristus, trite Maria!" "Stay thou, stay here! Thou art mine! And the Nivasi when they go-- Thou shalt not see them! Three chains I have, I bind thee: One is God, the other (beyond) The Christ, the third, Maria!" To charm a horse, they draw, with a coal, a ring on the left hoof and on the right a cross, and murmur:-- "Obles, obles te obles! Ac tu, ac tù máy sástes Ná th' ávehás beng tute Devlá, devlá ac tute! Gule devlá bishálá E gráyeskro perá Miseçescro dád! Niko mánushenge ác Káske me dáv, leske ac Shukáres tu ác, Voyesá te láccs ac, Ashunen eftá Pçuvuse: Eftá láncá hin mánge, Ferinen ádálá Táysá, táysá e pedá!" "Round, round, and round! Be thou, be thou very sound The devil shall not come to thee, God, God shall be with thee! Sweet God drive away From the horse's body The Father of Evil! Be to (go not to) any other man To whom I give (sell) unto him Be beautiful! Frolicsome and good, Seven spirits of earth hear! I have seven chains, Protect this animal Ever, ever!"