72 STUDIES IN THE FIELD AND FOREST. 



shut up its little red eyelids ; and the drooping flowers 

 of the field and the garden droop more heavily; the 

 amaryllis and the day-lily turn their delicate heads from 

 the wind, and the wild geranium has twisted its cap- 

 sules, and scattered its seeds, as if endued with a pre- 

 sentiment of the approaching rain, and cast them forth 

 at the moment most favorable to their germination. 

 The small birds have discontiiuied their songs, and fly 

 about restlessly, as if they were undetermined what to 

 do, or perceived some secret cause of alarm. Bees fly 

 only short distances from their hives, and return soon. 

 All insects are more than usually restive, except the 

 spider who mopes in his den and seems half torpid. 

 The toads have come out from their retreats in multi- 

 tudes, and unlike other animals, hop about in awkward 

 merriment, as if they expected some gift from the skies. 

 Last of all the east wind rolls the billows ashore, and 

 the swinging roar of the waves may be heard respond- 

 ing to the signals that have appeared simultaneously 

 over all the earth and the heavens. 



Not only do certain animals utter unusual sounds in 

 that state of the atmosphere, that indicates the approach 

 of rain ; but all distant sounds are heard more distinctly 

 than usual, because the atmosphere, when full of 

 moisture, becomes a more perfect conductor. In these 

 phenomena we observe the same correspondences, which 

 I have already noticed ; and when the clouds are thick- 

 ening over our heads and the moon looks down upon 

 her shadows softened by intervening mists, the tolling 

 of distant bells is heard more distinctly, and all distant 

 sounds boom more audibly over the plain. The roar of 

 the waves which is always louder before a storm, on 

 account of the strong winds that roll them more heavily 

 upon the beach, would be more audible at such times 



