276' OBSERVATIONS ON TIIL WEATHER, 



weather. The barometer, the thermometer, the hygrometer, 

 and the electrometer, will generally give us timely notice of 

 any material changes in the ftate of the atmofphere. But be- 

 fore we confider the bell, or at lead the ufual modes of em- 

 ploying thefe inftruments, we will beg leave to mention fome 



yet the common common remarks of the peafantry, whofe profeihons requiring 

 lemarksof pea- ,, .. . . . r . , . . . M & 



fant 3 are valu- tncm to llve much in the open air, their opinions merit very 



abJe « great attention, being the refult of local obfervation, conti- 



nued from father to fon, and verified from the experience of 

 many ages. Amongft the fir ft of thefe is one, now eftablilhed 



Morning r*ia r into a proverb, that a rainbow m the morning is the ihep- 



•how denotes L ,. . . . . . . , . . n . ,, 



rain; evening nercl s warning, but a rainbow at night is the ihepherd s 



rainbow, fair delight. / 



Iii a country with the fea or ocean to the weflward, and 

 Explanation of the wind from the fame quarter, this opinion is likely to be 



the prognoftic. . T ,. . „ ,?, , rt i • i 



,,.. . A true. It theretore, the clouds to the weftward in the morn- 



Wjth a weft ' 



wind the mom- ,n g are faturated with moifture, which they mull be to pro- 

 ing rainbow to duce a rainbow, as thefe clouds proceed from the W. towards 

 coming fhowers j^ e & they probably will produce rain ; whereas, on the con- 

 evening rainbow trary, when the fun fets perfectly clear, and the clouds to the 

 rs ** ' eaflward are moifr, it is a proof that the wet clouds are pall, 

 with a wefterly wind, and the ihepherd therefore may reafon- 

 <ably expeel line weather on the following day. 

 JUin, if from When it rains with an eaft wind, it probably will rain for 

 .^4 hours. twenty-four hours. This is another obfervation, which feems 



to me applicable to countries iituated as above-mentioned, 

 Explanation. with land to the eaflward ; for, in general, the weather is 

 dry in thefe countries with an eall wind, but when the cohe- 

 fion of the air and water is broken, the rain will not be violent, 

 but of long duration. 

 W. ather ufually The weather generally clears at noon, but when it rains at 

 dears at noon, m id-day, it feldom clears up again till fun-fet. The air, 

 atfun-fet! ■ when dry and warm, continues toabforb and retain the moil- 

 Explanation. ture continually evaporated from the earth ; as therefore the 

 fun advances towards the meridian, and for an hour or two 

 afterwards, he dries and warms the air ; and confequently the 

 rain is likely to ceafe at that time. But if there flvould be fo 

 much water in folution in the atmofphere, that the heat of the 

 fun is not fufheient to produce thefe effecls, in that cafe the 

 rain will probably continue fome hours longer. 



Violent 



