Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 13, MAT-MIC

Chap. VI.
Weather
82
Signs of
rain from
birds.
METEOR
that a dry Cummer will follow a dry fpring is 44} that
a wet Cummer will follow a dry fpring, that a va¬
riable Cummer will follow a dry fpring, 4t, and Co on.
This method of Dr Kirtvan, if there is fuch a con¬
nexion between the different Ceafons that a particular
kind of weather in one has a tendency to produce a par¬
ticular kind of weather in the next, as it is reafonable
to expe£l from theory, may in time, by multiplying ob-
fervations, come to a great degree of accuracy, "and
may at laft, perhaps, lead to that great defideratum,
a rational theory of the weather. As we wifh to throw
as much light as pollible on this important Cubjeft, we
(hall add to thefe a few maxims, the truth of which
has either been confirmed by long obfervation, or
which the knowledge we have already acquired of the
caufes of the weather has eftablilhed on tolerably good
grounds.
1. A moill autumn with a mild winter is generally
followed by a cold and dry fpring, which greatly retards
vegetation. Such was the year 1741.
2. If the fummer be remarkably rainy, it is proba¬
ble that the enfuing winter will be fevere; for the un-
ufual evaporation will have carried off the heat of the
earth. Wet Cummers are generally attended with an
unufual quantity of feed on the white thorn and dog-
rofe bu'hes. Hence the unufual fruitfulnefs of thefe
fhrubs is a fign of a fevere winter.
q. The appearance of cranes and birds of paffage
early in autumn announces a very fevere winter •, for
it is a fign it has already begun in the northern
countries.
4. When it rains plentifully in May, it will rain but
little in September, and vice verfa.
5. When the wind is fouth-weff during fummer or
autumn, and the temperature of the air unufually cold
for the feafon, both to the feeling and the thermo¬
meter, with a low barometer, much rain is to be ex¬
pelled.
6. Violent temperatures, as ftorms or great rains,
produce a fort of crifis in the atmofphere, which pro¬
duces a conllant temperature, good or bad, for feme
months.
7. A rainy winter prediiffs a fteril year : a fevere au^
tumn announces a windy winter.
To the above we Ihiall add the following maxims,
drawn from obfervation, and with thefe fhall conclude this
article.—Sea and frelh water-fowls, fuch as cormorants,
fea-gulls, muir-hens, &c. flying from fea, or the frefh
waters, to land, Ihew bad weather at hand : land
fowls flying to waters, and thefe {baking, wafhing, and
noify, efpecially in the evening, denote the fame;
geefe, ducks, cats, &c. picking, (baking, wafhing,
and noify •, rooks and crows in flocks, and fuddenly
difappearing; pyes and jays in flocks, and very noify ;
the raven or hooded-crow crying in the morning, with
an interruption in their notes, or crows being very
clamorous at even •, the heron, bittern, and fwallow fly¬
ing low \ birds forfaking their meat and flying to their
nefts *, poultry going to rood, or pigeons to their
dove-houfe *, tame fowls grubbing in the dull, and
clapping their wings ; fmall birds feeming to duck
and wafli in the fand *, the late and early crowing of
the cock, and clapping his wings \ the early finging
of wood-larks ; the early chirping of fparrows ; the
early note of the chaflinch near houfes $ the dull ap-
o L O G Y, 731
pearance of robin-redbreaft near houfes \ peacocks and Weather..
owls unufually clamorous.
Sea and frefli-water fowls gathering in flocks to the wind'froin
banks, and there fporting, efpecially in the morning ; birds,
wild-geefe flying high, and in flocks, and diredling
their courfe eaitward ; coots re ft lei 3 and clamorous ;
the hoopoe loud in his note j the king’s-fiflier taking
to land; rooks darting or (hooting in the air, or
fporting on the banks of frefti rvaters 5 and lalily, the
appearance of the malefigie at fea, is a certain forerun¬
ner of violent winds, and (early in the morning) de¬
notes horrible tempefts at hand. 84
Halcyons, fea-ducks, &c. leaving the land and Fair wea-
flocking to the fea ; kites, herons, bitterns, and fwal- t^er frora
lows flying high and loud in their notes; lapwings re‘+-b'rus*
lefs and clamorous; fparrows after funrife reftlefs and
noify ; ravens, hawks, and keftrils (in the morning),
loud in their notes; robin redbreaft mounted high,
and loud in his fong; larks fearing high, and loud in
their fongs ; owls hooting with an eafy and clear note;
bats appearing early in the evening.
Affes braying more frequently than ufual; hogs pa;n from
playing, fcattering their food, or carrying draw inbealts.
their mouths ; oxen fnutRng the air, looking to the
fouth, while lying on their (ides, or licking their
hoofs ; cattle gafping for air at noon; calves run¬
ning violently and gamboling; deer, (beep, or goats,
leaping, fighting, or puthing ; cats wafning their face
and ears ; dogs eagerly feraping up earth ; foxes bark¬
er wolves howling; moles throwing up earth
than ufual ; rats and mice more reftlefs than
a grumbling noife in the belly of hounds.
8<f
mg>
more
ufual _
Worms crawling out of the earth in great abund- Rain from
ance; fpiders falling from their webs; flies dull and infedts.
reftlefs ; ants haftening to their nefts ; bees haliening
home, and keeping clofc in their hives ; frogs and
toads drawing nigh to houfes; frogs croaking from
ditches; toads crying on eminences; gnats finging
more than ufual; but, if gnats play in the open air, or
if hornets, wafps, and glow-worms appear plentifully
in the evening, or if fpiders webs are feen in the air, or
on the grafs, or trees, thefe do all denote fair and warm
weather at hand.
Sun rifing dim or waterifh ; rifing red with blackifli Rain from
beams mixed along with his rays ; rifing in a mufty or the fun.
muddy colour ; riling red and turning blackifli ; fet-
ting under a thick cloud ; fetting with a red Iky in the
eaft.
V. B. Sudden rains never laft long; but rvhen the
air grows thick by degrees, and the fun, moon, and
(tars (nine dimmer and dimmer, then it is like to rain
fix hours ufually. gs
Sun rifing pale and fetting red, with an iris; rifing Wind from
large in furface; rifing with a red (ky in the north ; fet-the fun.
ting of a bloody colour ; fetting pale, with one or more
dark circles, or accompanied with red ftreaks; feeming
concave or hollow; feeming divided, great ftorms ;
parhelia, or mock funs, never appear, but are followed
by tempefts. ^
Sun rifing clear, having fet clear the night before ; pa;r wea_
rifing while the clouds about him are driving to the ther from
weft; rifing with an iris around him; and that iris the fUR*
wearing away equally on all fides, then expeft fair and
fettled weather ; rifing clear and not hot ; fetting in
red clouds, according to the old obfervation :
4 Z,2
The