The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-24
WEATHER AND
FOLKLORE SIGNS
ANIMALS PREDICT CHANGES
ANCIENTS LEARNED FROM THEM
WHAT WEATHER TO EXPECT.

Them in Book FOrm-What An
Indicated Remarkable Accuracy
in Many Cases-Summary of Gem
eraI Rules for weather Conditions
in savannah as Compiled From
Records.
A summary of the folklore regarding
weather signs has been tabulated by
the United States Weather Bureau
and published under the title, Wealth
err Folklore and Local Weather Signs.
In addition to the summary of folklore
weather signs, the book contains
summary of the conditions existing at
the various stations throughout the
country and what may reasonably be
expected from certain signs. Maps
showing the prevailing winds, clouds,
etc, existing at the different stations
at the different seasons of the year are
also contained in the book. The little
volume is handsomely gotten up and
contains much valuable information.
The weather folklore is particularly
interesting for many reasons. Be-
sides publishing the beliefs of the peo-
pie of different nations before weather
prediction had become as exact a sci
ence as now, the book calls attention
| to those which are most reliable and
applicable to the different sections of
the country.
Weather folklore had it's origin in the
days when men stood close to nature,
and their knowledge depended almost
| entirely upon noticing that certain
conditions always preceded certain
other conditions. Thus with remark
able accuracy they were enabled to
| predict what weather conditions would
| follow certain action on the part of an
| imals and certain kinds of clouds and
| winds.
AS the nations separated, however,
these predictions, applicable to certain
parts of the world, grew to be applied
| to parts in which they were not APP
plicable, with the result that they have
| fallen greatly into discredit and are
| looked upon to-day as mere fables or
fancies of our forefathers.
Learned From Actions of Animals
The observations of naturalists, shep-
herds, herdsmen and other real children
| of nature who have lived in close con-
| tact with animals, have clearly demon
strated that animals have cognlzance or
approaching changes in the weather
| long before human beings. From close
observation of the actions OF dl1erenI
| animals just before change in wealth
err the following signs" or changes
have been compiled.
From time immemorial cats have had
the reputation of being weatherwise.
This belief has given rise to most
extensive folklore. 1t is almost univer-
sally believed that good weather may
be expected when the cat washes her
self, but bad when she ticks her coat
| against the grain or washes her face
over her ears, or sits with her tail to
the fire.
Everything is lovely and the goose
honks high" is a common quotation.
This arose from the fact that early
| birdsmen noticed thaat in clear wealth
er the geese flew higher than in cloudy.
This is undoubtedly due to the fact
that the atmospheric pressure is great
er during cloudy weather than during
clear, with the result that the birds
find less difficulty in flying high in clear
weather. Among the other signs" de-
rived from a close study of animals
the following are a few which are
mentioned in Folklore:
when chimney swallows circle and
call. they speak of rain
"One crow flying alone is a sign of
foul weather, but if crows fly in pairs
expect fine weather"
wild geese flying past large bodies
of water indicate changes of weather.
Going south, cold; going north, warm. "
kline. when they assemble at one
! end of a field with their tails to wind
ward, often indicate rain or wind"
Dogs making holes in the ground,
eating grass in the morning, or refus-
| ing meat, are said to indicate coming
rain"
Insects, Fish, SUN and Moon.
The observations of the ancients was
| not limited to birds and animals only,
but the actions of insects and fish, and
| the appearances of the sun, moon,
| stars, and planets were also consid-
| cred indicative of rain. Among this
latter class the following are a few:
"A bee was never caught in a show
err"
Ants are very busy, gnats bite,
crickets are lively, spiders come out
| of their nests, and flies gather IN
houses just before rain"
Spiders strengthening their webs
indicates rain"
THE odor of flowers is more appar-
ent just before a shower than at any
| other time"
when the sun in the morning is
breaking through the clouds and
scorching, a thunderstorm follows in
the afternoon.
"A solar halo indicates bad weather.
When the moon is darkest near the
horizon expect rain
IF the full moon rises clear, ex-
pect fine weather"
when fish bite readily and swim
near the surface, rain may be ex-
! pected."
Air bubbles over clam beds indi-
cate rain"
If corns, wounds, and sores itch
more than usual or ache more, rain is
likely to fall
Tobacco becomes moist just before
rain"
The above are only few of the hun
dreds of natural weather signs which
have been confidently believed for
ages by people of all nations.
Conditions in Savannah.
Considerable space in the volume is
devoted to the weather conditions pre-
vailing at Savannah and what may
reasonably be expected from certain
conditions which precede weather
changes. Among the rules laid down
the following are a few:
LAS a rule the barometer is high
and rising slowly twelve to twenty
four hours in advance of the occur
renee OF heavy frost On the day pre-
| ceding frost the maximum temperature
seldom exceeds So degrees, with cloud
less skies, light to fresh northwest
winds, and humidity lower than
usual