636 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



rhymes, and it is due to this that it has been preserved to the present 

 time ; and, so far as I have been able to determine, not one of the 

 rhymes or sayings has ever been published. That among the earliest 

 papers and almanacs of the country there may be found some of 

 them, or slightly different versions of the same, is probable, but my 

 searchings therefor, in the larger libraries, have not resulted in any 

 such discoveries. 



The main interest, however, in connection with weather-lore, is to 

 determine whether they do or do not correctly represent the relation- 

 ship of the animals mentioned to the given condition of the weather. 

 In other words, is the zoology of the weather-lore misrepresented or 

 not ? I am forced to declare that, as a rule, those who by virtue of 

 their ingenuity framed these rhymes and brief sayings did not cor- 

 rectly interpret Nature. 



Very many of the early English settlers were, no doubt, excellent 

 observers ; but they appear, at times, to have more desired to be 

 looked upon as weather-prophets than as naturalists, and strove to 

 have glib nonsense-sayings pass current as evidence of their wisdom, 

 instead of taking pains to correctly interpret the course of Nature and 

 determine the relation of animal life to its environment. 



Often, during my rambles in the neighborhood, I have questioned 

 the few remaining descendants of the original settlers concerning the 

 local weather-proverbs, and I find the impression is still prevalent that 

 the purport of all these sayings is substantially correct, and therefore, 

 to a great degree, that my neighbors are laboring under erroneous im- 

 pressions. *' Is there not wisdom in a multitude of counselors ? " they 

 ask ; and I, standing alone, am voted the fool, while they pose as 

 sages. 



Let us consider this weather-lore, bit by bit, as I have gathered it 

 from time to time, and discuss its merits, if it possesses any, and also 

 its absurdities. 



Of such sayings as refer to our domestic animals, the following 

 are the most noteworthy. Of the cow, I have heard it said : 



" When a cow tries to scratch its ear, 



It means a shower is very near " ; 

 and again — 



" When it thumps its ribs with its tail, 



Look out for thunder, lightning, hail." 



As is now pretty well known, a short time before a shower in 

 summer, there is often a highly electrical condition of the atmosphere, 

 which makes all animals more or less uneasy. Therefore, the lashing 

 of the tail, if not merely to brush away flies, may refer to this uneasi- 

 ness, and so, too, the ears may be more sensitive than the general sur- 

 face of the body. This is a probable explanation, but, after all, it is 

 not proved that the cow at such a time suffers as much from it as is 

 supposed ; nor is it easy to see how the flagellation of a very insignifi- 



