FABLE AND FOLKLORE 219 



That is, I suppose, the season will then furnish rain 

 enough for a good crop. The same thing is sung of 

 swans. But even the swallows cannot be depended on as 

 indicators, for in late summer and autumn they are more 

 likely to skim along the ground and over ponds than to 

 go anywhere else; and, as showing the uncertainty in 

 men's minds in this matter, or else how signs change with 

 locality, it may be mentioned that in Argentina swallows 

 are held to indicate coming storms not by low but by ele- 

 vated flight. Thus the naturalist Hudson ** writes of the 

 musical martin (Progne), familiar about Buenos Ay res: 

 "It is ... . the naturalist's barometer, as whenever, the 

 atmosphere being clear and dry, the progne perches on 

 the weathercock or lightning-rod, on the highest points of 

 the house-top, or on the topmost twig of some lofty tree, 

 chanting its incantation, cloudy weather and rain will 

 surely follow within twenty-four hours.'' 



None of the host of sayings, of which you may read 

 hundreds in the publications of the United States Weather 

 Service, and in such collections of odd lore as Gleanings 

 for the Curious* 6 that pretend to foretell the character of 

 a whole season from what birds do, are worth credence. 

 For example, some declare that "a dry summer will fol- 

 low when birds build their nests in exposed places," on 

 the theory, I suppose, that the builders will have no fear 

 of getting wet; and 



If birds in the autumn grow tame, 

 The winter will be cold for game. 



One important exception to this kind of nonsense may 

 be made, however, for in certain circumstances it is fair 

 to accept from our American birds a broad hint as to the 

 character of the approaching winter. Experience con- 



