282 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



land," and fisher folk know that when the seamews 

 fly out early and far to seaward fair weather may be 

 expected. To Scotch shepherds the drumming of 

 snipe indicates dry weather and frost at night; and 

 Gilbert White remarks that woodcocks have been 

 observed to be remarkably listless against snowy 

 foul weather; while, according to another author, 

 their early arrival and continuance "foretells a 

 liberal harvest." In Wiltshire the coming of the 

 dotterel betokens frost and snow, and there is a 

 proverb that the booming of the bittern will be 

 followed by rain or worse. In Morayshire, when 

 the wild geese go out to sea they say the weather will 

 be fine; but if towards the hill, stormy. The saw- 

 like note of the great titmouse is said to foretell rain ; 

 that of the blue-tit, cold. In the south of France so 

 much store is set by the wisdom of the magpie that 

 if it builds its nest on the summit of a tree the 

 country-folk expect a season of calm; but if lower 

 down, winds and tempests are sure to follow. When 

 a jackdaw is seen to stand on one of the vanes of the 

 cathedral tower at Wells, it is said that rain is sure 

 to follow within twenty-four hours. Wells must be 

 a wet place! In Germany, dwellers in the country 

 lack faith in the skylark's song as announcing fine 

 weather; but when the lark and the cuckoo sing 

 together they know that summer has come. The 

 robin, buzzard, lapwing, starling and a number 



