PROGNOSTICS OP THE WEATHER. J 49 



Sigm of Bain from Birds. 

 SEA and frefli water-fowls, fijch as cormorants, fea-gulls, Prognoftics of 

 muir-hens, &c. flying from fea, or the frefli waters, to land, Rai,7frorn birds 

 fiiew bad weather at hand : land fowls flying to waters, and 

 thofe (baking, wafliing, and noify, efpecially in the evening, 

 denote the fame: geefe, ducks, coots, &c. picking, fliaking, 

 wafhing, and noify j rooks and crows in flocks, and fud^enly 

 difappearing ; pyes and jays in flocks, and very noify ; the 

 raven or hooded-crow crying in the morning, with an inter- 

 ruption In their notes, or crows being very clamorous at even ; 

 the heron, bittern and fwallow flying low ; birds, forfaking their 

 meat and flying to their nefls ; poulfry going to rooft, or pid- 

 geons to their dove-houfe ; tame fowls grubbing in the duft, 

 and clapping their wings ; fmall birds feeniing to duck, and 

 wafti in the (and ; thef late and early crowing of the cock, and 

 clapping his wings ; the early finging of vvood-Iarks ; the early 

 chirping of fparrows ; the early note of the chaffinch near 

 houfes ; the dull appearance of robin red-breaft near houfes ; 

 peacocks and owls urtufually clamorous. 



Signs of Wind from Birds, 



Sea and frefli water- fowls gathering in flocks to the banks^ Wind from 

 and there fporting, efpecially in the morning ; wild geefe 

 flying high, and in flocks, and dire^ing their courfe eaftward; 

 coots refllefs and clamorous ; the hoopoe loud in his note ; the 

 kingVfiflier taking lo land; rooks darting or fliooting in the 

 air, or fporting on the banks of frefli waters ; and laflly, the 

 appearance of the malefigie at fea is a certain forerunner of 

 violent winds, and (early in the niorning) denotes horrible 

 tempefts ?it band. 



Signs of Fair Weather from Birds. 



Halcyons, fea-ducks, &c. leaving the land and flocking to Fair weather 

 the fea; kites, herons, bitterns and fwallows flying high and from birds, 

 loud in their notes; lapwings refl;lefs and clamorous; fparrows 

 after fun-rife reftlefs and noify ; ravens, hawks and keftrils (in 

 the morning) loud in their notes ; robin red-breaft mounted 

 high, and loud in his fong ; larks foaring high, and loud in their 

 fongs ; owls hooting with an eafy and cle^ note ; bats ap-r 

 pearing early in the evening. 



Signs 



