There are many supersitions about foxes. Strangely enough, Swiss legend has transferred to the fox our own legend of the dog which howls at night as a portent of impending death. No peasant in the districts where this be lief is held would dream of attacking or firing upon a fox in such conditions. Prom the Val d 'Kerens comes a de lightful story of how the fox gets rid of the vermin which afflict his kind. He is supposed to take a bunch of some green stuff in his mouth and then lower himself backwards into water, beginning with his brush. The vermin fly from the water and ultimately take refuge in the bunch of greenery which the fox immediately drops into the water. There is no clue to the origin of the story that the jay can make itself and its nest invisible to escape the attention of birds and other animals of prey. But the view is held in the Val dTlliez. There are also many legends of metamorphoses and spontaneous gen eration. Thus plane trees are believed to generate mosquitoes, and dung heaps' to give birth to worms. Some of these beliefs may be due to the age-old supersition of the 'miasma'' which marshes and other unhealthy
places were reputed to give off. A sur vival- of this may even be found in a widespread belief that the breath of certain animals, e.g., of the frog, is in itself noxious. There are many legends about liz ards, toads, and salamanders. The mere sight of a salamander is supposed to bring bad luck. While the horror of snakes, lizards, and suchlike is understandable, it is difficult to see why the dragon-fly, that embodiment of grace, should be looked upon with suspicion.