The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-02-18
BEASTS AS BAROMEFERS
WATCH THE ANIMALS. S.IND FORE
 TELL THE WEATHER.

| UnmistakabIe Behavior at Approach of storm of WeatherWise Cat and Dog Delicate Organization Responsive to Atmospheric Conditions.
 The household cat, seated at ease
 beside the fire, carefully applies her | tongue to her paw, and then her paw
 to her head. 'The cat is washing her face-We shall have rainI" Some one is sure to say this. Children have
 greater faith ill this sign as a certain ! emblem of coming rain than in any
 rall of the barometer. Old grandams
 do not let the sign pass unnoticed. It
 IS the very commonest example Of how
 weather is foretold by the behavior of animals, though why our fires.de tab bies should be at pains to wash their
 faces when they expect the coming of
 a natural shower bath is something of
 mystery!
 The weather-wise reputation that | cats have earned in all countries de- serves note. So extensive a belief is likely to have. certain amount of foundation, and, as a fact. none can ] deny that often it does rain after cats
 have washed their faces. The fur of cats is full of electricity, and we may | readily believe that atmospheric influ-
 ences affect their sensitive feelings | just as damp weather sets our rheu-
 matic old people grooming.
 | Cats are domesticated only to very slight degree. They retain their primi- tive wildcat instincts almost unim-
 palred-see how cat raises it's body
 and misses in imitation of a snake | when sudden danger arises, just as wildcats do in the forests. They re
 turn to a wild condition sooner than
 any other domestic animal, and go a. hunting with all the skill of a cat that
 has seen a human being. And since, to wild cats, weather must be matter of great moment, as affecting their
 supply of prey, there is nothing pre- posterous in supposing all cats to be more or less weather wise. The re- markable liveliness and skittishness Of | cats of all ages, even of the most se- date, when thunder storms are in the air has often been noted.
 Dogs are more domesticated than cats, and show few signs of weather wisdom. The weather affects the ay-
 craze dog as it affects a human being. Hot weather makes him sleepy, cold
 braces, wet depresses. But some dogs
 are better weather prophets than oth-
 CTS. There is a certain dog who is giv-
 en a supply of bones every morning, and who has been seen time after time to bury one or more of his store when
 rain has been in the air. Many dogs
 have inherited this instinct from their
 wild ancestors to hide and save their food against days of bad hunting, and it it certain that many dogs are aware
 when thunder is in the air, and show
 their prescience by hiding in sheltered
 places before a thunder storm, and by other signs of uneasiness. .s>. Like our domestic animals, some
 horses are able to fortell the coming of rain. They then stretch their necks and sniff the air, as if scenting rain; and they start more than usual, and show signs of uneasiness. But horses temperaments vary so greatly-some being so full of natural instincts and some so thoroughly domesticated and so full of trust in their masters care that it is impossible to draw accurate conclusions.
 For instance, some horses, when losse in field, will start and gallop at the sound of clap of thunder and show every sign of fear. Others will take no notice of thunder. They may know that thunderstorm is in the air, but when the thunder roars they hear only natural sound, which has no terrors for them. I have known a very nervous horse, who, being tri- file blind, would shy at every opportu- nity, start at any unexpected sight, bolt at a sudden noise. like the rat ting of a milk cart-he turned some thing like a double somersault when he first met an electric tram-car-but who would endure a sudden thunder storm with perfect calmness, taking not the slightest notice of flashing lightning or ear-splitting thunderclaps. When donkeys bray loudly and inces- sanity, the weather-wise predict rain
 and rain, true enough, often follows.
 Many are the ideas concerning cows and the weather. Rain may be pre- dicteddicted when cows lie down early in the morning, when out at pasture. Not every one, however, could give a satisfactory reason for their belief in this notion. Yet there is a very plaus- ible inference. The cows, feeling rain in the air, lie down to keep dry at least as much grass as their bodies can cov- CT. When the rain is over and gone, they can rise and enjoy a dry feed. At the same time, from human point of view-which is the worst of all points of views from which to judge an ani- malls behavior under any conditions it is rather absurd of the COWS to lie down before the rain comes. They might go on munching at least until the first drop of rain falls. It may be that they act on the promptings of some primitive instinct which warns them to rest when there is rain about, So that they may not only insure dry spots for future use, but may reserve their strength against the time when the sun shines again and they may roam and eat to their hearts content.
 Once there was traveller who when crossing a moor on brilliantly fine