The Portland daily press., 1890-12-27
ARCTIC OWL AND THE WEATHER.
Some Interesting Facts Not Cener-
ally Known.

1t may be asked, "Can weather predictions
be made from observations of the variation
in times of birds flights, or from the APP
pearance of strange birds? Do these move
mepts take place the same with the same in
fluences at work, or are they Irregular, with
out any special connection with climatic
conditions or. with climatic changes?" In
the first place, ii we remember tue axiom
that there is never an effect without a cause,
we cannot imagine that birds. creatures of
nature, without reason, perhaps, would un-
dertake journeys to unknown places with
out sufficient cause If they ever should take
such journeys at all. For Instance, the Arc.
tic owl, if driven from one locality In the
ice-bound regions by a cause other than a
change in climatic conditions, would prefer
to go to another locality In the cold zone I'M
less prevented by some cause that was felt
throughout the zone. lie would not volun-
| taIily seek climate to which he has never
| been accustomed.
Perhaps the following explanation Of the
presence of the owl in New England may be
| found interesting. If not one which may be
sufficiently proven. The Arctic owl is very
| likely now most abundant in regions not so
very far to the northward of us. The re-
| gion around Hudson Bay is one very spe-
cially frequented by this bird. He has come
southwark with the declining sun, and per-
haps few of the species, wearied by long
flight, have been caught BY storm as they
neared the end of their journey, and unable
to resist the great northwest gales have
| moved with them until they were left as far
south as this latitude. 1t is not unlikely.
The great March blizzard. with its strong,
whirling gales, westerly ON the Carolina
coast, swept killdeer plover from the coast
of North Carolina around the circle by
south far over the Atlantic, until finally
they were whirled inland by the southeast
erly and easterly gales, and landed on the
strong ships sank, while these little bird 5
floated in the storm as a rowboat sometimes
rides easily over the waves that buffet ships
Thus the Arctic owl may have been blown
hundreds OF miles southwark in the storm
currents, without even meeting death by
freezing. The first of these gales came dur
ing the first days of December. 1t ragged
with greatest violence on the Newfoundland
banks, $ nix NJ many good ships there The
last of the three especially notable cold
gales took place yesterday, and very posi-
bly, brought few more of the Arctic wan.
derers to New England.
That there is truth in the assertion that
weather predictions may be made from the
flight of birds. the writer does not doubt
but inasmuch as no explanations are offered
tseems that man, as we'll as other animals
reasons by instinct rather than by thought
when making the predictions. 1t Is demon
strated that these signs are sure, otherwise
man would not continue to profit by them.
An explanation of why the presence Of the
owl in this latitude fortells cold winter is
as follows: The bird is, without doubt
driven here by strong gales. Now 1t is OBJ
viouS that there would be no gales If there
was not an excess of air to the northward-
colder than the air of this latitude, because
1t is further from the equator. AS the sun
moves southwark apparently this cold body
OF air always presses southwark; whenever
opportunity offers at any point along its
southern boundary 1t comes with a rush in
the form of cold northwest gales, generally
as clearing gales following a storm. Thus
the presence of the Arctic owl proves thai
this great body of cold air lies not far to the
NORTH of US, and as the season advances
rushes of cold air in the form of gales from
northern points will frequently occur, max
ing the winter 1890-91 memorable In c0ntras
with the mild one preceding.
In Illustration, the Arctic owl shows the
proximity of Polar cold just as a sea gul
indicates nearness to the ocean. Therefore
as the height of cold is not experienced be
fore the 10th of January. there are still sew
eral weeks for our winter to augment il
| severity.