Impressions 



stead of facts, and we are still left to wonder 

 whether these arctic buntings fled before a 

 storm or journeyed with it and can do no more. 

 Such rare visitors and the movements of our 

 proper door-yard birds have given rise to many 

 a " weather-proverb, " and there it rests. The 

 truth is yet afar off, but our interest never 

 ceases. Suggestions have their brief day and 

 are relegated to oblivion, or are kept alive by 

 the charlatans who delude the masses. 



These irregular appearances of certain birds 

 have nothing to do with migration, which has 

 been scientifically studied and, in great meas- 

 ure, explained; but rather with that sudden 

 coming and going of all birds with which we are 

 familiar. That the weather has its influence on 

 animal life is evident to all, but foreknowledge 

 and its concomitant, foretelling, are not unlikely 

 peculiarly human attributes. On the other 

 hand, birds can scarcely be denied intimations 

 of approaching changes, or a forefeeling that 

 influences their movements. That atmospheric 

 condition which makes an aneroid possible and 

 sends the mercury up and down its thirty 

 odd inches of tubing may well play upon a 

 bird's feathers. The result is noticed and the 



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