Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-11-20

That is a curious instinct which large
number Of animals possess, Of predicting
tho weather and slgnlfying the approach
ing change by peculiar movements or
sounds. Some OF their actions in this re-
spect appear 10 be more governed by rea-
son than by mere instinct, others are clear
ly due to the moisture in the air or various
atmospheric influences, while some, which
occur under conditions which prevent their
being referred to the latter cause, offer an
interesting field for the investigations of
the naturalist. The presence of the barOm-
eter in almost every farmhouse, together
with the weather bulletin or the dictum Of
"Old Probabilities good for the next
twenty-four hours, render such homely
knowledge as that which governed the Ia
bors Of the farmers and sailors of the last
century almost superfluous in this advance
ed age; but the subject. like all topics
which relate to the sagicity of the lower
auimals, is of itself an interesting one.
| And besides, 1t is not entirely impossible
that some farmer 10 whom the barometer,
| If he had one, would toe incomprehensiblc,
and whose location prevents his obtaining
the weather reports, may, by some odd ac-
| ton OF his own cattle, of some insect, or of
| some bird, as described in the following
lines, be forewarned OF coming storm in
time, and save perhaps crop during the
present harvest months.
We have said that certain movements on
the part of the animals. before a change of
weather, appeared to indicate reasoning
| faculty. Such seems to be the case with
| the common garden spider, which, on the
| approach OF rainy or windy weather, will
be found to shorten and strengthen the
| supporting guys of his web, lengtheuing
the same when the storm is over. There
Is superstition in England that it is nm
lucky for an angler to meet a single mag
pie; but two of The birds together are
good omen. The reason is that the birds
foretell the coming of cold or stormy
weather; and then, instead Of their search
Ing for food for their young in pairs, one
| will always remain on the nest. Sea gulls
predict storms by assembling on the land
AZ they know that the rain will bring earth
worms and Larvae to the surface. This
however, 10 merely search for food. anC
Is due to the same instinct which teache,
the swallow 10 fly high in fine weather
and skim along the ground when foul il
coming. They simply follow the flies anC
gnats which remain in the warm strata o
the air. The different tribes of wadni
birds always migrate before rain, likewise
TO hunt for food.
There 10 large variety Of actions 0
which It 10 hardly possible to give a salts
factory ex PLANTATION. Coming rain is fore
told by the peacock uttering frequent cries
by the woodpecker lamenting. by parro
quets babbllng, by pintados perching, au,
by geese running round uneasily. So al
so it is said that, when storm is at hand
swine will carry hay and straw to hidin
places, oxen will lick themselves the wron
way OF the hair, sheep will bleat and ski
about, hogs turned ont in the woods vii
come home grunting and squealing, colt
will rub their backs agains! the ground
crows will gather in crowds, crickets vii
sing more loudly, flies come into tho house
frogs croak and change color to dingie
hue, dogs eat grass, and rocks soar Xix
hawks.
1t il probable that many of these action
are due 10 actual uneasiness, similar I
that which all who are troubled with corn
or rheumatism experience before storm
and are caused both by the variation il
barometric pressure and the change in tn
electrical condition OF the atmosphere.