AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
119 
when restless from -the expectation of approaching rain. 
Fishes are supposed to be affected, since they cease to bite 
freely, when rain is depending. All sorts of insects are more 
stirring than ordinary against rain. Bees are in fullest em- 
ploy, but, if likely to rain, coniine their industry to where 
they can reach their hives before the storm comes on; when 
they fly far abroad, and stay out late, fine. When the com- 
mon flesh flies are more bold and greedy, rain; when small 
flies flock together in great numbers, about the beams of 
the sun, a little before it sets, fine. Ants bustle more than 
usual, move their eggs to dry places, and then retire to 
their burrows before rain falls. Gnats playing in the open 
air, heat; when they form a vortex in the shape of a co- 
lumn, it announces fine weather; when they collect and 
dance in the shade, showers; and when they sting much, 
cold and rain. Spiders crawling abroad, rain. Bats flying 
more numerously and more early in the evening, fine. 
Chronic pains being more violent than usual, rain in 
summer, frost in winter. A disagreeable languor is gene- 
rally felt before thunder. 
A serene autumn denotes a windy winter; a windy win- 
ter, a rainy spring; a rainy spring, a fine summer; a fine 
summer, a windy autumn: but it is very rarely that the 
seasons succeed each other in the same manner for two 
years together. It has been remarked, that, if at the be- 
ginning of the winter, the south wind blow, and then the 
north, it portends cold; but should the north wind first 
blow, the winter will be mild. A hot and dry September, 
a cold spring; summer moist and cool, a hard winter: if walls 
that used to be damp are peculiarly dry at the commence- 
ment of winter, a hard winter may be predicted, for it shows 
a dry air, which, in winter, is always joined with frost. 
Animals are affected by rain, wind, &c. and in a variety 
of instances afford notice of their approach. 
The leech, kept in a common eight ounce phial, three- 
fourths filled with water, (changed once a week in sum- 
mer, and twice in winter,) and covered with a bit of linen 
rag, is a sure prognosticator of the alterations in the weather. 
The following are its indications: — In serene weather, it 
lies rolled up at the bottom in a spiral form. When it is 
about to rain in the forenoon, it creeps to the top and 
remains there, till the weather is settled. Previous to 
wind, it keeps in rapid motion, and seldom rests, till it 
begins to blow hard. If a remarkable storm of thunder 
and rain is to succeed, it lodges some days before conti- 
nually without the water, and is very uneasy and convulsed. 
In frost, as well as in clear weather, it lies at the bottom; 
and in snow or rain, it keeps at the mouth of the phial. 
In the account of animal barometers, this anecdote is re- 
markable. A gentleman, some few years since, brought a 
pointer dog, from South Carolina, who was a prognosti- 
cator of bad weather. “ Whenever I observed him, (says 
his master,) prick up his ears in a listening posture, 
scratching the deck, and rearing himself up, to look over 
to the windward, where he would eagerly snuff up the 
wind, though it was the finest weather imaginable, I was 
sure of a succeeding tempest; and this animal was grown so 
useful to us, that whenever we perceived the fit upon him, 
we immediately reefed our sails, and took in our spare 
canvas, to prepare for the worst.” 
It is a sign of rain, when the soot collected round pots 
or kettles, takes fire, in the form of small points, like 
grains of millet, because this phenomenon denotes, that the 
air is cold and moist. 
The moon is supposed to have influence on the weather. 
The following table ascribed to the illustrious astronomer, 
Dr. Herschell, is constructed upon a philosophical consi- 
deration of the attraction of the sun and moon in their se- 
veral positions, respecting the earth; confirmed by the expe- 
rience of many years’ actual observations, and will, without 
trouble, and with great truth suggest to the observer, what 
kind of weather will follow the moon’s entrance into any 
of her quarters. 
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