The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-03-12
LIVING BAROMETERS.
CREATURES or THE LOWER ORDERS
THAT FORETELL WEATHER.


There IL Going to He . storm-A Frog
That Climbs . Ladder to Give Warming.
The spider is u good example OF the
living barometer. Close observation OF
the work on its web castle will soon en-
able one to forecast the weather. When
q high wind or heavy rain threatens,
the spider may be seen taking in sail
with great energy-that is, shortening
the rope filaments that sustain the web
structure. II the storm Is TO be unusual
ly severe or Of long duration. the ropes
are strengthened as well a. shortened,
the better to resist the onset Of the ele-
ments. Not until pleasant weather IL
again close a. hand will the ropes be
heightened as before. On the contrary,
when you see the spider running out
the slender filaments, it is certain that
calm, fine weather has set in, whose
duration may be measured by their
elongation.
Every "a hours the spider makes some
alteration in its web to suit the weather.
II these changes are made toward even
ing, Just before sunset, fine clear night
may be safely counted upon. When the
spider sits quiet and dull in the middle
of its web. rain is not far of. II it be
active, however, and continues SO dur
ing shower, then it will be Of brief
duration, and sunshine will follow.
These various indications may be wit
messed and studied to the best advantage
in the open air. But you need not al
ways 90 outdoors to watch the spider
barometer There are few houses where
the crafty creature does not find an OBJ
scure corner wherein to swing its sign
board. Files taken in and done for
here" Watch these places. and when
You see the spiders coming out ON the
walls more freely than usual you may
be sure that rain is near.
There are individuals who would not
keep a stock Of spiders about their prem
Uses for the express purpose Of prophecy
ing the weather from their movements,
and the enmity felt by the good house
maid for this particular species Of ami
NAL u notorious. Those individuals can
study the movements Of their own do
nestle animals. Cats and dogs are given
to scratching and other uneasy move
ments ON the approach Of rainy weather,
and their fur looks less bright and CLOS
sy. Horses and cattle stretch their necks
and sniff the air. Sheep become frolic-
some or tmE their backs to the wind
and quarrel frequently. Goats bleat in
cessantly and leave the hilltops for more
Il. Ii 1u al,
carrying straw to the sty, and no longer
wallow in the mud and mire Fowls
hubble together in the farmyard with
dropping wings, and the air is filled
with the clamorous cackle Of geese and
ducks. Those who live in the country
and spend much time in the open ali
!, have the advantage Of observing the
movements Of wild animals and Of feel.
ing keenly in their own persons the op
erations of the changing atmospherical
conditions Moles become more active
in digging, stoats and weasels become
unusually restless and uneasy, and the
hedgehog fortifies his cave against the
coming storm with AN unfailing provi
sion which has earned for him most en-
viable reputation as weather prophet.
Wild birds make still better objects
: OF observation, because in the Large
air" their actions are easily noted
Crows and swallows remain near home
when tempest is brewing; sea gulls nj
longer venture out to sea, but hover
over the fields or fly inland when WING
and rain are near; swallows fly low
and skim the water, and the robin brood
melancholy in the bush or seeks tn
shelter Of neighboring roof. These ar
only few Of the many creatures Of tn
fields and the air which enable q maj
who has eyes to see to forecast tn
weather during the next few hours TIL
Explanation of all this is TO be found il
the exceeding sensitiveness Of most ami
mails, especially those which are NOR
or less wild, to atmospherical condi
tons. They are all constantly MAXIM
forecasts after their own manner, and
a. we have limited. they are far NOR
}. trustworthy than any devices Of man to
Il ward this end.
Several ingenious attempts have re
Gently been made TO turn this unfailin
instinct to some commercial use. 4
. number u very unique living baroms
tiers have been put upon the market
The cheapest, and the one which vii
probably become the most popular,
the frog barometer. A small green fro
is found in Germany which alway
comes out of the water when cold G
wet weather is approaching. Thes
d frogs are caught and kept in glass jaI
ne furnished with q tiny ladder and hal
rs filed with water. The frog weathe
n prophet sits high and dry on the top {
his ladder for several hours before
= storm and climbs down to the bottol
is when the weather is 70 be fair an
clear. Other remarkable weather propl
cts are leeches, and we have heard Of
- old meteorologist who adjusted his b
a rometer in such way that the leech'
a would ring little bell whenever
81 storm was approaching and would n
main silent when the weather was IA
or setting fair These creatures wi
l. -.