204 POPULAR WEATHER PROGNOSTICS. 



functions. This pre-sensation is highly useful to bats 

 as well as insects ; their wings not being protected 

 against moisture by any oily matter, rain would render 

 them heavier, and unfit for flying. 



Dr Meyer supposes that, on the approach of dry 

 weather, larks and swallows fly high because the upper 

 regions of the atmosphere are freer from vapours, and 

 because the insects on which they feed then probably 

 take a higher flight. He also alludes to the weather- 

 fish (Cobitis fosarlis) kept in Germany for the purpose 

 of foretelling weather ; because, when the weather is 

 fine, it continues quiet, but is restless before rain or 

 storm. As Dr Mitchell does not enumerate fish among 

 the animals whose proceedings prognosticate rain or 

 other atmospheric change, we suggest this as a topic 

 for investigation. Every angler knows how often his sport 

 is marred by a change of wind, by impending rain, and 

 specially by the approach of thunder. In order that they 

 may be always under observation, fish in ponds, or in 

 vessels in the house, should be attentively watched. 

 If the quiescence of a leech in a bottle denote fine 

 weather, and if its mounting to the top of the water 

 and clinging to the sides of the bottle betoken rain 

 as, from experience, we think to be the case we should 

 expect to gather weather- wisdom from the pre-sensa- 

 tions of fish in confinement. Speaking of leeches, we 

 remember of being struck with a curious application of 

 the motions of a leech. An ingenious Frenchman, in 

 the great Exhibition of 1851, exhibited "an animal 

 barometer" in the shape of an apparatus so arranged 

 that the movements of a leech were indicated by the 

 ringing of a bell. 



As to the pre-sensation which animals have of rainy 

 weather, Meyer supposes that this may be explained by 

 the increasing weight of the atmosphere, by their man- 

 ner of living, and by the want of moisture necessary to 

 their existence. People who have wounds or old ulcers 

 experience contraction and heat in the parts affected ; 



