is the middle day of spring and that on which the night and day are of equal length, March 17/29. A certain sign of the day is held in the Hebrides to be a south wind in the morning and a north wind at night. The saint comes from Ireland to see his parishioners in Barra and other places on the west of Scotland, and has a favourable wind coming and returning. He is in Highland lore described as “Patrick who blessed Ireland” (_Pàdruig a bheannaich Eirinn_), and is said to have been married to the daughter of Ossian, bard, and last, of the _Feinne_. He was born A.D. 373, but it is disputed whether his native place was Scotland, or Wales, or England, or France. There can be no question that in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland the more lively and kindly recollections of him have been retained. Numerous places called after him are found scattered over Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. After this day (_seach gun leum an Fhéill Pàruig_) (lit. once Patrick’s Festival has jumped) the limpet is better than the whelk, and is said in consequence to treat it with great indignity. _Latha Feill Pàruig_ _Muinidh bhairneach air an fhaochaig._ Another piece of shore information connected with this season is that with the advance of spring “as horses grow lean, crabs grow fat” (_mar is caoile ’n t-each, ’s ann is reamhrad am partan_). Others have it, “When the horse is lean, the whelk is fat” (_Nuair bhios an t-each caol bi ’n fhaochag reamhar._) The reviving influences of the spring are now making themselves visible, according to the saying, “There is not an herb in the ground, but the length of a mouse’s ear of it is out on St. Patrick’s Day” (_Chaneil luibh san talamh, nach’ eil fad cluas luch dhi mach, latha Féil Pàruig_). Old men liked the days immediately preceding it to be stormy, and to see, as they said, “the furrows full of snow, of rain, and the thatch of houses” (_a chlaisich làn sneachda, làn uisge, ’s tugha nan tighean_). There are particularly high tides on St. Patrick’s Day, and the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, according to the saying, “The spring tides of Lady Day And the mad tides of St. Patrick’s Day.”[68] _Marbhladh na Feill Pàruig_, the deadening of St. Patrick’s Day, means the quiet calm waters that sometimes occur at this season; others say _Bogmharbhlainn_, and say it means the swelling (_tòcadh_) observable at the time in the sea (from the increasing heat). LADY DAY (_Féill Moire_). This was known as _Féill Moire an t-sanais_ (St. Mary’s Vigil of annunciation) to distinguish it from _Féill Moire Mòr_ (the Big St. Mary’s-day), the assumption of the Virgin, which was the middle day of autumn. It is March 25/April 6. SHORE OR MAUNDY-THURSDAY.