PROGNOSTICS CONTINUED. 177 



pass by them, cold weather and much ram may 

 be expected. Larks rising very high, and con-" 

 tinuing to sing for a long time, and kites flying 

 aloft, are signs of fair and dry weather. In 

 men^ frequently aches, wounds, and corns, are 

 more troublesome, either towards rain or to- 

 Avards frost. 



Virgil's beautiful description of this sense in 

 animals, is thus rendered by Mr. Dryden : 



Wet weather seldom hurts the most unwise ; 



So plain the signs, such prophets are the skies: 



The wary crane foresees it first, and sails 



Above the storm, and leaves tlie hollow vales: 



Tiie cow looks u)), and I'rom alar can find 



The change ofheav'n, and snuffs it in the wind. 



The swallow skims the river's watry face, 



The frogs renew the croaks of their loquacious race. 



The careful ant her secret cell forsakes, 



And draws her eggs along the narrow tracks. 



IIuL^e flocks of rising rooks forsake their food, 



And, crying, seek the shelter of the wood. 



Besides, the several sorts of wat'ry fowls. 



That swim the seas or haunt the standing pools, 



Then lave their backs with sprinkling dews in vain, 



And stem the stream to meet the promis'd rain. 



Then, after showers, 'tis easy to descry, 



lleturning suns, and a serener sky. 



^ * * * * 



Their litter is not toss'd by sows unclean, 



4» =V ¥ « « 4( 



And owls, that mark the setting-sun, declare 



A star-light ev'ningr, and a morning fair. 



• ♦ » ^ * * ♦ 



Then thrice the ravens rend the liquid air, 

 And croakmg notes proclaim the settled fair : 

 Then round their airy palaces they tly 

 To greet the sun, and seiz'd with secret joy 

 When storms are overblown, wuh fo(jd repair 

 To their forsaken nests and callow care. 



The crow has been particularly remarked by 

 the ancients to presage rain, when she caws. 



