OBSERVATIONS ON THE WEATHER. 270 



The following obfervations of Mr. Patrick feem confirmed ™£j^jj^ 

 by experience. trick are. good. 



1. The rifing of the mercury prefages, in general, fair 

 weather, and its falling foul weather, as rain, mow, high 

 winds, and itorms. 



2. In very hot weather the fall of the mercury indicates 

 thunder. 



3. In winter the rifing prefages frofl: ; and in frofty wea- 

 ther, if the mercury falls three or four divifions, there will 

 ceriainly follow a thaw ; but in a continued froit, if the mer- 

 cury riles, it will certainly fnow. 



4. When foul weather happens foon after the falling of the 

 mercury, expect but little of it, and, on the contrary, expe6t 

 but little fair weather, when it proves fair fhortly after the 

 mercury has rifen. 



5. In foul weather, when the mercury rifes much and high, 

 and fo continues for two or three days before the foul weather 

 is quite over, then expect a continuance of fair weather to 

 follow. 



6. In fair weather when the mercury falls much and low, 

 and thus continues for two or three days before the rain comes, 

 then expect a great deal of wet, and probably high winds. 



7. The unfettled motion of .-the mercury denotes uncertain 

 and changeable weather. 



But to thefe remarks may be added, that, when the baro- Prognoses of 



meter fuddenly falls two or three tenths, without any mate- o^^s^or 



rial alteration in the thermometer, and the hygrometer is not of a ftrong gale 



much turned towards moift, a violent gale of wind may be ? f wmd * nd 



°, J , heavy rain, 



expected. When the hygrometer inclines far towards moift, 



with only a trifling defcent in the barometer, it denotes a paf- 



iing fliower and little wind ; and when the barometer falls 



coniiderably, and the hygrometer turns much towards moifl, 



the thermometer remaining ftationary, and rather inclined to 



rife than fall, both violent wind and rain are likely to follow 



in the courfeof a few hours. 



General or common Prognoflics of the Weather. Common pros- 



Amongfl thefe we may reckon fuch as are derived from noftlcs * 

 birds, beails, infecls, reptiles and plants, to which might be 

 added great part of the wood work in houfes, as doors, win- 

 dows, window mutters, &c. 



Birds 



