98 ERROR OF THE POPULAR NOTION. 



of weather : but the fact is, the change has at that 

 time commenced. Swallows feed upon insects, and 

 alter their flight according to the different situations 

 of their prey. Insects, in common with many of 

 the inferior animals, appear to possess a nice percep- 

 tion of changes in the atmosphere, which our feelings 

 are not sufficiently sensitive to detect. They feel 

 the change, and they act on that feeling. We do 

 not feel it ; and are hence led into the error of sup- 

 posing that their actions prognosticate a "coming 

 event," when, in truth, they denote the existence of 

 a series of meteoric phenomena, which has not only 

 commenced, but is then actually in operation. To 

 apply this remark to the subject under consideration — 

 crickets take great delight in the warmth of a kitchen 

 hearth, and they feast on yeast, crumbs of bread, 

 milk, gravy, and all the waste and refuse of the fire- 

 side. Their presence, therefore, does not denote that 

 plenty is to come, but that it already exists, and they 

 should, consequently, be regarded as the attendants, 

 not as the harbingers, of comfort and abundance. 

 Their domicile about our kitchen hearth is not always 

 unaccompanied by damage ; for occasionally they gnaw 

 holes in clothes which may be drying at the fire. 

 This is done, not to revenge, as is commonly said, 

 the injuries which the proprietor of these clothes has 

 inflicted upon their tribe, but to gratify their thirsty 



