52 WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 



result if there was sunshine in New York and 

 cloudy weather in Pennsylvania on the same 

 Ground-hog Day? If . We gave it up. 



The ground-hog in common with other ani- 

 mals has lived upon the earth for countless ages, 

 perhaps about three million years, so geologists 

 say. Long before he had been heard of there 

 were both weather and climate over this good old 

 world of ours. There had been Ice Ages and 

 world-wide climate so balmy that palm trees 

 had grown in the Far North not far from the 

 Pole. 



However, there are a few weather signs, or 

 more correctly indications, that are closely al- 

 lied to woodcraft. Through them one can usu- 

 ally tell in advance when there is to be a change in 

 the weather. Among these indications are un- 

 usual gatherings of birds, listlessness of animals, 

 smoke drifting down and around as though lost, 

 and animals showing interest in a particular di- 

 rection or collecting at a sheltered place. Often 

 animals realize hours in advance that there is 

 to be a change in the weather. Each human and 

 animal is a delicate barometer which responds to 

 air changes. Animals appear particularly sen- 

 sitive and responsive to these changes. 



The actions of mountain sheep have several 

 times suggested to me that wind or snow-storm 

 was coming. One cold morning I was crossing 



