The morning news., 1889-02-18
ARE ANIMALS wEATHERwIsE9

ARE ANIMALS wEATHERWIsE9
Popular Proverbs and PrognOstics-
How Texans Predict a "Norther."
The weather proverbs and prognostics
used by the people of all countries would
be a curiosity If they could be collected and
compiled, as Gen. Hazen did in this country
in 1882 and 1888, and which were published
in book form in 1888, making 1877 pages Of
proverbs. The proverbs relate to the
heavenly bodies, the elements, and include
prognostics from almost every species OF
animal and vegetable life. Many are anus
ing and quaint.
It is the design OF the writer TO group
from time to time in a series Of articles
some of the more popular proverbs and
prognostics embraced in the work, and this,
which is the second Of the series, will deal
with proverbs relating to animals.
OF the ass it is said
When the ass begins to bray,
Be sure we shall have rain that day.
And another is;
When the darkey blows his horn,
'Tis time to house your hay and corn.
If the tracks of bear are seen after the
first Snow fall, look for mild winter.
Ii the bull goes first to pasture, it will
rain; if the cows precede him, the weather
will be uncertain.
OF the cat there are many prognostics,
some of which are: If cat sneeze, it Is a
sign of rain. The wind will blow from the
point the cat faces when she washes her
face, and fair weather will follow. An
observing old lady on Cape Cod wrote to
Gen. Hazen that it is sign
of rain If the cat washes her
head behind her ear Cats rub against
an object before a storm. Sailors do not
like cats, and they have a saying when the
cat Is frisky she has a gale of wind in her
tail, and charm Is often resorted to in a
calm by throwing the cat overheard to raise
a storm. A Hungarian proverb says cat
does not die in the water, but its paws dis
turb the surface, hence the flaws on the
water are called 'cats paws, large furry
on the water is called "catS skim and
the English call a stormy Northwestern
"cat's nose.n
If cattle lie down early in the day expec5
rain, also when they lick their forefeet, lie
on the right side, scratch against posts,
when they refuse to go to pasture in the
morning, and when they low and look az
the sky. II COWS fail in their milk look for
stormy and cold weather. If they below
In the evening it will snow before morning,
and when a cow stops and shakes her foot
there is bad weather behind her.
IL tne deers coat De gray Ia OCTOBER
severe winter will follow.
If the dog digs deep hole in the ground, or
howls when one leaves the house, or refuses
meat, it indicates rain. II the dog eats
grass in the morning it will surely rain be-
fore night.
When the fox barks at mig ght it will storm.
The goat utters a peculiar cry before rain,
Hogs run with sticks and straws in their
mouths before cold weather, and carry
leaves and make them warm beds There
is an old prOverb that pigs can see the
wind, u as they are restless and sQueal loudly
before a storm.
If the hair Of horse grows long early
the winter will be mild. The hair OF a
horse becomes rough before rain, and they
are frisky before a cold wave, and restless
and uneasy before a rain.
Moles and muskrats dig their holes deep
or shallow, according to the severity of an
approaching winter.
If rats and mice make much noise it in-
dicates rain.
The sand mole makes a mournful noise
just before frost.
When squirrels lay in a supply of nuts a
cold winter will follow. Hence the proverb
Of the squirrel:
When he eats them on the tree,
Weather as warm as warm can be.
Sheep are said to ascend hills and scatter
before clear weather, but if they beat and
seek shelter it will snow. The shepherds
have proverb: