Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-29
WEATHER FORECASTS.
SOME CURIOUS oLD-TlME METZ.
GEOLOGICAL PREDICTIONS.

AUUk -
talecranhed all over the country its predic'
lions a. to whether tomorrow would be
stormy. showery, cloudy or fine, or a Wig
Gins began TO announce-never to come
EARTHQUAKES which were to shake q continent,
or cyclones and hurricanes which were to
blow away cities, households were governed
by q ret Of rules in the battles OF the ele-
ments. These rules are to be found In hand
books published as late as half a century
ago, and some Of them are very curious.
They number nearly 200, some relating to
the movements of clouds and winds, Others
to tho appearance OF the sun and moon, and
others to the actions of various animals, in
GLIDING insects and birds, and by them the
ancient Virgins foretold when a storm was
at hand. Some Of the curious rules, many of
which are still referred to in the conversation
of everyday life, were as follows:
II spiders, in spinning their webs, make
the termination filaments long, we may, in
proportion to their length, conclude that the
weather will be severe and continue SO for
ten or twelve days.
II there are no falling stars to be seen on a
bright summers evening, you may look for
finc weather.
Spiders generally alter their web once in
q hours; il they do this between 6 and z in
the evening there viii be a fine night; If they
alter their web in the morning, expect a fine
day; if they work during rain, expect line
weather; u the more active and busy the
spider is the finer will be the weather.
If many gnats are seen in spring, expect q
fine autumn; if gnats fly In compact bodies
in the beams of the setting sun, there will be
fine weather.
If spiders webs fly in the autumn with q
south wind, expect an east wind and fine
weather.
If bats futter and beetles fly about there
will be q fine morrow.
II owls scream during foul weather it will
change to fair.
If storks and cranes fly high and steady
there will be fine weather.
If the garden spiders break and destroy
their webs and creep away, expect rain OF
showery weather.
II there be many falling stars on a clear
evening in the summer, there will be
thunder.
If the stars above IS deg, especially the
North star, flicker strongly and appear closer
than usual, there will be rain.
Arainbow in the morning is the shepherds
warning.
If old and rheumatic people complain Of
their corns and joints and limbs once broken
at the place of their union, there will be foul
or wet weather.
If the smoke from chimneys blows down.
or If SCOT takes fire more readily than usual
pect rain.
r. SL.l>---I I.>s-r ~ran1I ekuo~oroN thav
usual, expect rain; and when tobacco smoke
seems denser and more powerful expect wei
weather.
II the marigolds continue shut after I
o'clock in the evening, expect rain.
If the convolvulus and chickweed close
there will be rain.
If sheep, RAM and goats spring about in
the meadows and fight more than usual, ex
pect rain.
If asses shake their ears, bray and rut
against walls and trees, expect rain.
If cattle leave off feeding and chase each
other in their pastures, it will rain.
If cats lick their bodies and wash theiI
faces, it will rain.
If foxes and dogs howl and bark more
than usual; if dogs grow sleepy and dull,
rain.
If swine be restless and grunt loudly; il
they squeak and jerk up their heads, there
+ will be much wind. From this rule sprane
the proverb: "Pigs can see much wind"
If moles cast up hills, rain.
If horses stretch out their necks and sniff
the air and assemble in the corner of a field
with their heads to leeward, rain.
II rats and mice be restless it will rain.
If peacocks and guinea fowls scream and
turkeys gobble, and if quails make more
noise thar usual, there will be rain.
II sea birds fly toward land and land birds
toward the sea, there will be rain.
II the cock crows more than usual and
earlier, expect rain.
If swallows fly lower than usual, expect
rain.
II the crows make a great deal of noise and
fly round and round, expect rain.
If water fowl scream moro than usual and
plunge into the water, expect rain.
If birds in general pick their feathers,
wash themselves and fly to their nests, it will
rain.
If cranes place their bills under wings,
rain.
If bees remain In their hives or fly but a
short distance from them, rain.
If fish bite more readily and gambol near
the surface of streams and ponds, rain.
If gnats, flies, etc, bite sharper than usual,
expect rain.
If worms creep out Of the ground in great
numbers, expect rain.
II frogs and toads croak more than usual,
expect rain.
If the crickets sing louder than usual, it
will rain.
II the owls screech, death is near and there
will be rain.
If the sea anemone shut, and according to
the extent it opens, so will the weather be fine
or less so.
If porpoises and whales sport about ships,
expect a hurricane.
II the trefoil contract its leaves, expect
thunder and heavy rain.
II the mole digs his hole two feet and a half
deep, expect a verys severe winter; if two feet
deep, not SO severe; if one foot deep, a mild
winter.
If robins approach nearer houses than
usual, expect frost; if the ice crack much
the frost will continue.
If the leaves of the trees move move with
out any perceptible wind, rain may be ex-
nected.-Brooklyn Citizen