BOONVILLE, N. Y. DEAR JACK: Seeing your readers are interested in living barometers, I thought I would send you this paper. From IDA G. EGERTON. “I do not know of any surer way of predicting the changes in the weather, says a correspondent, than by observing the habits of the snail. They do not drink, but they imbibe moisture during a rain, and exude it afterward. The snail is never seen abroad except before a rain, when you will see it climbing the bark of trees and getting on the leaves. The tree-snail, as it is called, two days before rain, will climb up the stems of plants, and if the rain is going to be a hard and long one, it gets on the sheltered side of a leaf, but if a short rain, on the outside. Then there are other species that before a rain are yellow in color, and after rain blue. “Take the ants, too; have you ever noticed the activity they display before a storm—hurry, scurry, rushing hither and yon, as if they were letter-carriers making six trips a day, or expressmen behind time? Dogs grow sleepy and dull, and like to lie before a fire, as rain approaches; chickens pick up pebbles, fowls roll in the dust, flies sting and bite more viciously, frogs croak more clamorously, gnats assemble under trees, and horses display restlessness. “When you see a swan flying before the wind, spiders crowding on a wall, toads coming out of their holes in unusual numbers in the evening, worms, slugs, and snails appearing, robin-redbreasts pecking at the windows, pigeons coming to the dovecotes earlier than usual, peacocks squalling at night, mice squeaking, or geese washing, you can put them down as rain-signs. Nearly all the animals have some way of telling the weather in advance. It may be that the altered condition of the atmosphere with regard to electricity, which generally accompanies changes of the weather, makes them feel disagreeable or pleasant. The fact that a cat licks herself before a storm is urged by some naturalists as proof of the special influences of electricity. Man is not so sensitive. Yet many persons feel listless before a storm, to say nothing of aggravated headaches, toothaches, and rheumatic pains.” It appears, from this, that even boys and girls may sometimes be classed among the animal weather-prophets. But, as they seem to have a rather painful way of indicating storms, I hope none of you excel in prophesying. A USEFUL BIRD WITH AN ARISTOCRATIC NAME. WARWARSING, N. Y.