The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-23
ANIMALS AS BARosrErnes.
How Tempest and Sunshine are Fore
told by Cats, Dogs, Toads, Etc.

I A1sAAA<AA@o As 6AAG1A4EEEASSSv
|, How Tempest and Sunshine are Fora.
told by Cats, Dogs, Toads, Etc.
Weather fair or foul is predicted by
: the Conduct of animals. Snaf1s. cats.
{ dogs, horses, geese, fishes, ants. pnats.
asses, birds, swallows. crows. cattle
, all villa predict the weather If YOU
understand their language. In large
; glass jar that sat in window-sill Of
{ an Eighth street residence an Enqnirer
man saw small ladder, not over 8 foot
long, reaching to the top, and two
tree-toads frisking about in the water
which about half-fiiled the jar. An old
German, spectaeled and dressed in .
. long double-gown, was eagerly watch
ing the motions of the batrachians.
Those are queer pets, DOCTOR re-
marked the scribe. tsPets! They are
not pets. They are my barometers.
They tell me with accuracy when the
weather is to be fair or foul. If dry
weather is coming on, they climb the
ladder away OUT of the water, but if it
is going to rain. then down they 90
into water" "But what do they have
to eatP'' asked the visitor, observing
nothing edible in their impoverished
cage.
"You should see them go for flies, %
said the doctor, at the same moment
tossing one into the water It was
snapped up by one of the tree toads
with the rapidity of lightning. ssThat
will keep the toad alive for a week, but
each of them will eat ten or twelve q
day if anyone would catch them for
them"
IA cheap barometer, if it only tells
the TRUTH
Nothing better, sir. There are few
animals that do not have the instinct,
or knowledge, if you will, to predict
either storm or fair weather. I have
given the subject much study, and find
my observations are in accord with
many old sayings and proverbs relat-
ing to weather-wise animals There's
the snail. l do not know of any surer
way of predicting the changes in the
weather than by observing their habits
closely. They do not drink, but i'm.
bibe moisture during rain and exude
it afterward. This animal. is mover
seen abroad. except before rain, when
you will see it climbing the bark of
trees and getting on the leaves. The
tree-snail, as it is called, two days be-
fore rain will climb up the stems of
| plants, and if the rain is going to be
hard and long one, then they get on
| the sheltered side of leaf, but if
short rain, on the outside. Then there
are other species that before rain are
| yellow; after il blue. Others indicate
rain by holes and protuberances, which
before rain rise as large tubercles.
These will begin to show themselves
ten days before rain, At the end of
each tubercle is pore, which opens
when the rain comes, to absorb and
draw in the moisture. In other snails
deep indentations, beginning at the
head between the horns, and ending
with the jointure at the tail, appear
few days before storm.
"Then there are other animals who
are good weather prophets. The old
adage says:
"When that the ass begins to bray,
Be sure We shall have rain that day.
'And there is another one equally
emphatic, which every haymaker
knows:
BE sure to cock your hay and corn.
/ When the old donkey blows his horn.
"Yes, sir; nearly all ANIMALS have
some way of telling the weather in adj
vance.
"Is it instinct, or do they perceive
approaching signs more keenly than
peoples"
that the altered condition of the atmos-
phere with regard to electricity, which
generally accompanies changes of
| weather, makes them feel disagreeable
or pleasant, The fact thai 2 cat Hcks
herself before storm is urged by
some naturalists as proof of the special
| influence of electricity. Man is not So
sensitive. Yet many people feel list
less before a storm, to say nothing Of
aggravated headaches, toothaches,
rheumatic pains, and last, but not
least. corns."
Birds ought to be good weather
prognosticators then, for they can not
| be insensible to air currents and the
| different climates of the atmospheric"
'.Most assuredly they are the very
best. Every farmer knows when swal-
! lows fly low that rain is coming; sail
ofs, when the sea-gulls fly toward the
land; when the stormy petrol appears,
or Mother Carey's chickens, as they |
are called, predict foul weather.
"Take the ants. Hare. you never
noticed the activity they display before
. storm, hurry-scurry, rushing hither
and yon, as if they were letters carriers |
making six trips day, or expressmen |
behind timep Dogs grow sleepy and |
duh, and like to lie before q fire as rain
approaches; chickens pick up pebbles,
fowls roll in the dust, flies sting and
bite more Yiciously, frogs croak more,
clamorously, gnats assemble under
trees and horses display restlessness
sHoW do you tell fair weather.
beetles flying late in the evening
foretell fine day on the morrow; bats
filter about late in the evening in
spring or autumn; butterflies appear
ing early; cranes flying high; fishes
when they swim low and won't bite.
Hogs when they run squawing about,
and won't bite, and jerk up their heads,
and see wind coming, hence the
pfoverb, Pigs can see the wind. % is II
Are any other animals weather.
wlsee''
II would like to know what animals
are not, If man only had the patience
to watch and observe them. When
you see swan flying against the wind. /
spiders crowding on WALL toads com-
ING out of their holes 10 unusual NUM- |
bers on an evening, worms slngss and /
snaiIs appearing. robin redbreasts
peckinQ at our windows, pigeons CONS
inc to the dove cote earlier than usual, |
peaeocks squalling at night. mice /
suueaking or geese washing, you car.
put them AL down for rain signs. Did
you never read DR.. DarWin,s poetical /
description Of the signs Of the rainP
Never heard Of it am
stTVell, it's often quoted; and IS re-
markedly correct. Here Il is
eFhe hollow Winds begin % blow:
The clouds look black the glass e lows
- The SCOT falls down, the epanAeae eaeepp Il
And spiders from their cobWebs creep
Tae walls are damp, the ditehes Gmelli
Clussd Il the light red pirnpernel.
Harkl how the chairs and tables crack /
Old Beftyss Joints are on the Lack. -.
Her corns with shooting pains torment /
And to her bed unfimelY send her q
loud ouack the ducks, the eeo-1oWie erys /
The distant hills are looking nigh.
How restless are the GnnrfinE EWlnes
The busy aios disturb the kLne.
Low Ger the Era1s the sNalloW Mlness
puse on the hearth " lth velvet paws
- sis vfpinR DER her Whisker.d Jaws.
sTs44fll surely come We see & with soEkoWs
No working IN the aeids tp-na0rroW.
= cfDciandt5 El51itSref.
Apparatus Or Cutfihg stnnes