St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-07-10
ODD WEATHER DEVICES
NATURE FURNISHES MANY SIM
PIE BUT INTERESTING ONES.
Swiss Weather-House, a Common Toy,
Quite Trustworthy - Chameleon
Barometer Curioslty-SlmpIe
Test for Humidity.

One of the oldest and simplest
ways of telling whether the air is dry
or moist is to suspend a piece Of
seaweed out Of doors, or even in an
apartment where there is no artificial
heat. The weed is crisp and dry at
the approach of fine weather, while
it is f1abby and moist when rain is
likely.
A common toy, the Swiss weather
house, is really quite trustworthy in
it's forecasts, says the Strand. The
woman, of course, energies from the
little house in fine weather, while the
man comes out when wet conditions
are to be expected.
In a medium state Of the atmo-
sphere both figures stand just inside
the house. The movements are due
to the twisting Of cord of catgut, a
substance which is highly sensitive
to changes in the humidity Of the air.
Two very singular weather devices
are employed. In the former case a
glass jam-jar is filed to about two
thirds of its capacity with water. A
little wooden ladder is constructed,
and this is placed inside the jar.
A frog will live quite happily in
such a position for a few weeks, and
it will be found that in fine weather
the creature will climb out up to the
top of the ladder. In stormy weather,
however, the frog prefers to remain
under the water.
Even more reliable as weather
prophets are leeches. A single leech
is placed in a broad glass bottle with
a piece of perforated bladder or leath-
er over the mouth. On the approach
Of fine or frosty weather the leech re-
mains almost motionless, curled up at
the bottom. When rain or wind is
coming the creature rises to the sur
face, while a coming thunderstorm will
cause it to be much agitated; at times
the leech will even leave the water
altogether, so sensitive is the animal
to an electrical disturbance.
The chameleon barometer is a curl
osity which has puzzled many people,
but it's construction is really very
simple. The animal changes color ac-
cording to the weather, being pink in
damp conditions, purple in a variable
state, and bright blue when the air is
dry.
A cardboard mount is prepared,
and this may be lettered in sections,
Fair Storm and Change. The chame-
leon is sketched out on blotting-paper,
and then immersed in a solution of
chloride of sodium and gum arabic.
Any chemist will make up the mix
ture.
A more beautiful chemist hygro-
scope is formed of a flower made of
white blotting-paper which has been
immersed in the cobalt mixture. The
blossoms show many varying shades,
from bright pink to sky blue, with the
changes in the degree of dampness in
the atmosphere.
A somewhat curious storm-glass
was introduced by the late Admiral
Fitzroy. This is formed of a glass
tube, stoppered, but with a small hole
through the cork. Into the tube has
been poured, mixture of camphor
nitre, sal ammoniac, alcohol and wa
ter. The changes in the state of the
atmosphere are indicated by the pro
duction of feathery growths, these ex
tending upward at the approach of 8
storm and retreating to the lower part
of the tube in quiet weather.