1^^ t'ROGNOSTiCS OF tHE WEATliEKi 



tlon, and that there are many fa6ls which fhevr, that it is unfafd 

 to permit any conliderable expanfion oF, or fpace for, the blaft 

 of powder, before it fliall act on the proje6lile. 



Jntrodaftion. 

 Pr )gnoftics of 



the weather. 



XV. 



Prognopcs of the Weather, efiahlijhed hy long-Continued Obfer-^ 

 vation upon the Condudl and Appearances of Birds, Beajls, 

 JnfdSis, Plants, Meteors, the Heavenly Bodies, Minerals, d^c. 

 Cmnmunicated by a Correfpondent. 



SIR, 



To Mr. NICHOLSON, 



It is a well known general fad, that (hephcrds and othere;, 

 whofe occupations lie in the open air, do not unfrequently 

 poflefs the fkill of foretelling the weather for conliderable pe~ 

 riods of time in advance, and that they ground their obferva- 

 tions upon the phenomena exhibited by animals, and other 

 bodies expofed to the a6lion of the elements. Some of the 

 maxims on this fubjedl, which poflefs the fan6lion of ancient 

 acquiefcence, are fuch as probably would not fland the teft 

 W modern fcientific examination ; but on the other hand, there 

 are many of which the rationale appears not difficult to explain, 

 and others which, from their empyrical value, are highly de- 

 ferving to be fludied and made out. I have for thefe reafons, 

 as well as from a fenfe of the immediate utility of this know- 

 ledge, thought it by no means impertinent to beg that you 

 would oblige the world with the enclofed, which is the bed 

 colledion of fa6ls I have met with. It is taken from a fmall 

 pamphlet printed at Edinburgh, without date or the name of 

 bookfeller or author, but apparently many years ago, intitled, 

 A Succinct Treatife of Popular Aftronomy. If this commu- 

 nication (bould meet the honour of infertion in your excellent , 

 Mifcellany, I hope it will be followed by fome explanations 

 from your fcientific correfpondents. 



I am. Sir, 



Your obliged reader, 



R. B. ' 



Signs 



