Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-08-21
WEATHER SIGNS.
Watch the Animals and Birds In or
Around Your House,

"atch the ANIMALS ana Birds In OF
Around Your House.
Do you have any animals about your
homer II you live in the country nc
doubt you do; II in the city, perhaps you
posses pet cat or parrot or canary. Well,
watch them for few minutes; most an
imals and birds are good barometers, says
the Detroit Neps Tribune.
Before rain storm the cat nearly al
ways washes her face. Why? Some claim
that the atmosphere excites the electricity
in the cats fur, irritating her, ana to
overcome the tingling sensation she sets
to washing herself.
Or, II there is no cat in the house a
maiden lady next door may possess To-
quacious parrot. II the bird sits and
makes q sort OF kissing noise, you may be
sure there will be rain before night.
II you have an aquarium OF goldfish,
you may observe that they will become
unusually active some sunny afternoon.
They will dart about in the water and
fap their little tails. This is a sign OF
rain. One seldom need fear getting wet il
be lives in the country. Horses, cows,
sheep, hogs, dogs, peacocks--all evince
certain peculiarities before storm.
Suppose you are master Of a skye 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 the days when man wandered
through the forests, . savage creature,
clothed principally with sunshine and
smiles, he took little care Of the dog. II
required all the efforts OF the tribal an
cestor to take care OF himself. So the
dog had to be on the lookout for s.rainy
day..
Dogs in those days lived mostly or
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 in.
stinct still remains with the dogs.
Horses become uneasy as q storm APP
proachss. 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 O storm cows lie down
Some day you may walk into field and
see flock OF sheep in q corner with their
backs turned to the northwest. II you
wait long enough, you will see wind
blow up from that direction.
At other times the sheep run and bound
over the fields, rearing on their hind feet
as IL they were fighting imaginary foes
This indicates a disturbance OF the at
mosphere and the approach OF brisk
storm.
Hogs, as would be typical OF them,
grunt before it rains.
When lions eat ravenously, circus train
ers know there is going to be bad wealth
ers. Then they take particular precau-
tions in fastening the poles and ropes oil
circus tents.
Birds, also, evinee feelings OF discom-
fort before Indictment weather. Swallows
fly low, rocks cav discordantly and pea
cocks and guinea hens cry constantly
Waterfowl, before rain, make bee-line
for a lake or river.
The weather has a noticeable effect on
fish OF all kinds. Fishermen will tell you
that trout become electrified with energy
before storm. As il in joyful anticipa-
tion 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 and disagreesble, the frogs croak
varies, ascending and descending the
scale of sound like barometer.