176 best's art of angling. 



which, in moist weather, becoming impregnated 

 with the humid coipiis^'Ies of the air, swell ; 

 and, like wedges, break or cleave the rocks into 

 several stones. 



Ihe speedy drying o^ the surface of the 

 earthy is a sig:n of a northerly wind and fair 

 weather ; and its becoming moist, of southerly 

 wind and rain. Heuce the farmer may be in- 

 structed, never to trust a sun-shiny day, while 

 the surface of the earth continues wet; and to 

 rely on a change to dry vvreather, as soon as he 

 observes the moisture dried up, even thouah the 

 appearance of the douds should not be favora- 

 ble ; for the air sucks up all the moisture on he 

 surface of the earth, even though the sky be 

 overcast, and that is a sure sign of fair weather; 

 but if the earth continues moist, and water 

 stands in shallow places, no trust should be put 

 in the clearest sky^ for in this case it is deceit- 

 ful. 



ADDENDA. 



MORE SIGNS FROM ANIMALS. 



AGAINST rain fleas bite more than com- 

 mon, spiders crawl abroad, bees stir not 

 far from their hives. On the contrary, spiders' 

 webs in the air, or on the grass or trees, foretel 

 very fair and hot weather ; so do bees when 

 they fly far from their hives, and come late 

 home; and likewise a more than usual appear- 

 ance of glow-worms by night. If gnats play 

 up and down in the open air near sun-set, they 

 presage heat, if in the shade, warm and mild 

 showers ; but if iheyjoin in sti»ging those that 



