IN A FISHING COUNTRY 



where, for example, some touch-and-go 

 prognostic respecting non-isobaric rain 

 was in the balance. 



For a man of the fields will tell you that 

 before rain or unsettled weather the 

 ruminant animals crowd together and seek 

 sheltered places, dogs become drowsy and 

 stupid, cats sneeze, birds of long flight 

 stay about home and fly low, cocks crow 

 early and late, ducks and geese continually 

 plunge and wash themselves, earthworms 

 appear, spiders do not build their usual 

 web, (should they work during rain it will 

 not last long) flies in their diversity of 

 species bite, sting and crawl, the ass brays 

 loudly and often, sheep bleat much in the 

 evening, pigs run hither and thither before 

 wind, (hence, doubtless, the saying that 

 pigs see the wind) loons call, the white- 

 throat (rain-bird) sings often by day and 

 by night, peacocks scream, black birds are 

 noisy and woodpeckers very active, crows 

 fly solitarily to their clamorous congrega- 

 tions, finches chirp persistently, frogs 

 croak and toads walk with legs extended; 

 — a list which anyone may add to at his 

 pleasure. 



Conversely, when none of these things 

 happen, we may know the sky is not big 

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