, 1889-03-30
FEATHERED WEATHER PROPHETS.
REORGANIZATION of Birds More Accurate
TEnn Gnrcrnmnnt SIrnal nnrcnns-

- ASNAIO "1N Nl1N TINT u
REORGANIZATION of Birds More Accurate
Than Government Signal bureaus.
That birds AVE long been guides to
sailors and agriculturists every one who
knows anything about popular weather
prognostics is well aware. Not only ave
the flight and general action of birds
been noted by all civilized nations, but
among barbarous tribes in this and other
lands the migratory habits of the feath-
cred tribe AVE discounted the prognos-
tics of signal bureaus. Wind,
rain and other atmospheric changes are
predicted by those who narrowly watch
the migration of birds, and sailors in
particular, who are close observers of the
heavens above, the atmosphere around
them and the waters beneath them, base
their ~prognostics on all the peculiar
phases Of land, water and sky and the
elements of life which people them.
Among the birds which servo to guide
the sailors to look out for squalls, the
sailor expects wind when the cormorants
fly lnndward. If the gull scars to lofty
heights and, c%ircling round, utters shrill
cries, a storm is approaching. II the
parrots whistle on shipboard it viii rain.
a. III AAANAA NsAAAAtA AAAlh ~ NAAht-
full il will storm the next day. If the
petrels gather under the stern of a ship
bad weather will follow. The stormy
petrol surely betokens stormy weather,
n no o do they gather in numbers
in the wake of a ship thar sailors pre-
pare TO meet an impending tempest,
Hunters are close observers of the hab-
its of birds, and many prognostics nre
laarnnt frnv, thn y,-u h,,lory - ,
perienced hunter, who will stay indoors
in the morning when an amateur hunter
viii be tempted out by n clear sky, TO
come back in the rain, or who will find
that n moderate temperature in the
morning is no sure precursor of a warn
day. Among the p~rognostics the hunter
draws from the birds n few will suffice:
n birds In tho autumn grow tame
The winter will be too cold for gnme.
Bats flying late in the evening indicate
fair weather, but If they speak flying It
will rain on the following day. A soli-
tary buzzard at n great altitude indicates
rain, but II buzzards fly high together
it viii be fair weather. If chickens crow
before shutdown it will rain next day.
If they go out in the rain it will rain all
day. If they run to shelter it will not
run long. II lHSy come OH inc rOOSt Mt
night rain will soon follow.
The Zuni Indian hunters say when
chimney swallows circle and call they
speak Of rain, and Indians predict a deep
fall of snow when grouse drum at night.
Hunters and fishermen have n saying
that there will be no rain the day the
crane flies down the creek" Ono crow
flying alone is n sign of foul weather,
bu if crows fly in pairs the weather will
be fine. If crows make much noise and
fly in n circle rain is expected. If the
cuckoo halloos in low lane it will rain; If
on high land the weather will be fair.
Domestic fowls look toward the sky be-
fore rain and 60 to roost in the day time.
If they stan on one leg the weather will
be cold. If birds are fat and sleek in
February it is n sign of moro cold wealth
CT. II geese walk east and fly west il
will be cold.
An old proverb saysi '"WheR the hen
crows, expect n storm within and with
out, and hunters say that the direction
the loon flies in the morning will be the
direction of the wind the next day.
Owls hooting in the day time indicate
rain, but if at night the weather will be
fair.
When the peacock loudly bnwls
Soon wen have both rain and squalls.
Pigeons return to their dovccotes I'M
usually early before n rain. Tho habits
of wild geese are watched, and furnish
many p~rognostics. The following is a
popular verse:
Wild geese, wild geese going TO the sea,
Good weather II will be:
Wild geese, wild geese, going TO the him,
The weather 1t win spill.
In Kansas, when the wild geese fly to
the southeast In the fall, the people ex
pect n blizzard.-Savannah News.