"Many Nits, [nuts]
Many Pits."

A common saying hereabouts, meaning that if hazel-nuts, haws, hips, &c.,
are plentiful, many deaths will occur. But whether the deaths are to be
occasioned by nut-devouring or by seasonal influence, I cannot
ascertain. In many places, an abundant crop of hips and haws is supposed
to betoken a severe winter.

CHAS. PASLAM.


_Swans hatched during Thunder._--The fable of the singing of swans at
death is well known; but I recently heard a bit of "folk lore" as to the
birth of swans quite as poetical, and probably equally true. It is this:
that swans are always hatched during a thunderstorm. I was told this by
an old man in Hampshire, who had been connected with the care of swans
all his life. He, however, knew nothing about their singing at death.

Is this opinion as to the birth of swans common? If so, probably some of
your numerous correspondents will detail the form in which such belief
is expressed.

ROBERT RAWLINSON.


_Snakes_ (Vol. ii., p. 164.).--Several years ago, in returning from an
excursion from Clevedon, in Somerset, to Cadbury Camp, I saw a viper on
the down, which I pointed out to the old woman in charge of the donkeys,
who assailed it with a stout stick, and nearly killed it. I expressed