The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-05-16
Animals Are Good Barometers

Suppose you wished to go out shopp-
ing or calling and are undecided about |
taking an umbrella. You realize
that during May the weather is ca
PRECIOUS thing and little to be depended |
upon. You don't wish to be bothered
with an umbrella if the sun continues to
shine, yet you object to being caught in
the rain.
Do you have any animals about your
home? If you live in the country no
doubty you do; if in the city perhaps you
possess pet cat or parrot or canary. |
Well, watch them for a few minutes;
most animals and birds are good barom-
eters.
Perhaps if you live in All apartment
house your neighbor possesses Tabby.
II wish to go out walking" you muir
muir politely. MAY l watch your cat
for few minutes? Such pretty little
Kitty"
While you sit watching the soft-eyed
kitten your friend will regard you with
perplexity and amusement. But you see
the cat washing her face energetically.
You go to your room and get an UNI
brella. Your friend goes out walking
without observing her cat and she gets
wet.
Wuou YOU fcGuFu uOtue SOu Call Ucll
her that if she will notice the cat before
going out she need not fear the weather.
Before rainstorm the cat nearly al
claim that the atmosphere excites the
electricity in the cats fur, irritating
her and to overcome the tingling SEN
sation she sets to washing herself.
Or, if there is no cat in the house,
maiden lady next door may possess
loquacios parrot. If the bird sits and
makes sort of kissing noise you may
be sure there will be rain before night.
| If you have an aquarium of gold fish
you may observe that they will become
unusually active some sunny afternoon.
They will dart about in the water and
flap their little tails. This is sign of
rain.
One need seldom fear of getting wet
if he lives in the country. Horses,
COWS, sheep, hogs, dogs, peacocks-all
evince certain peculiarities before
storm.
| Suppose you are the master of a Sky
terrier or any other dog. No doubt you
have often seen him burying bones yet
you never took notice of the fact that
he did this shortly before it rained.
In tho days when man wandered thru
the forests, savage creature clothed
principally with sunshine and smiles, he
took little care of the dog. 1t required
all efforts of the tribal ancestor to take
care of himself. So the dog had to be
on the lookout "for rainy day"
Dogs in those days lived mostly on
fowls. Now in rainy weather fowls are
hard to catch. So the early pet of man
caught game before the rain began and
buried it so he should not die Of hunger
in case the storm continued.
This instinct still remains with the
dogs.
Horses become uneasy as storm APP
proaches. They fidget and neigh i'm
patiently in their stalls.
AS the sky becomes overcast asses
bray and show their asinine defiance of
the inevitable. Before storm COWS lie
down.
Some day you may walk into field
and see flock of sheep in corner
with their backs turned to the north
west. If you wait long enough you will
see wind blow up from that direction.
At other times the sheepl run and
bound over the fields rearing on their
hind feet as if they were fighting mag
mary foes. This indicates disturb
ance OF Jhe atmosphere ana Une APP
proach of brisk storm.
Hogs as would be typical of them,
grunt before it rains.
II When lions eat ravenously circus
trainers know there is going to be bad
weather. They then take particular
precautions in fastening poles and ropes
of circus tents.
Birds, also, evince feelings of discom-
fort before inclement weather. Swal-
lows fly low, rocks cav discordantly
and peacocks and guinea hens cry con
stantly. Waterfowl, before a rain,
make Decline for lake or river.
The weather has noticeable effect
on fish of all kinds. Fishermen will tell
) you that trout become electrified with
energy before storm. AS if in joyful
anticipation of feast, sharks disport
playfully about ships before hurricane
rises.
Persons living near rivers or streams
can gauge the weather by the croak OF
frogs. AS the weather becomes warm
and dry or wet aud disagreeable the
frogs croak varies, ascending and de-
scending the scale of sound like baro-
motor