Chap. 79.] PROGNOSTICS DEUITED FROM THE MOON. 119 



is a mist around it, the storm will be more violent. If the sun 

 is pule at sunset, there will be wnnd, and if there is a dark 

 circle round it, high winds will arise in the quarter in wliich 

 the circle breaks. 



CHAP. 79. PROGNOSTICS DERIVED FROM THE MOON. 



The prognostics derived from the moon, assert their right to 

 occupy our notice in the second place. In Egj^pt, attention is 

 paid, more particularly, to the fourth day of the moon. If, 

 when the moon rises, she shines with a pure bright light, it is 

 generally supposed that we shall have fine weather ; but if she 

 is red, there will be wind, and if of a swarthy ^^ hue, rain. If 

 upon the fifth day of the moon her horns are obtuse, they are 

 always indicative of rain, but if sharp and erect, of wind, and 

 this on the fourth day of the moon more particularly. If her 

 northern horn is pointed and erect, it portends wind ; and if it 

 is the lower horn that presents this appearance, the wind will 

 be from the south ; if both of them are erect, there will be 

 high winds in the night. If upon the fourth day of the moon 

 she is surrounded by a red circle, it is portentous of wand and 

 rain. 



In Varro we find it stated to the following efiect : — " If, at 

 the fourth day of the moon, her horns are erect, there will be 

 great storms at sea, unless, indeed, she has a circlet®^ around her, 

 and that circlet unblemished ; for by that sign we are informed 

 that there will be no stormy weather before full moon. If, at 

 the full moon, one half of her disk is clear, it is indicative of 

 fine weather, but if it is red, of wind, and if black, of rain. If 

 a darkness comes over tlje face of the moon, covered with clouds, 

 in whatever quarter it breaks, from that quarter wind may be 

 expected. If a twofold circle surrounds the moon, the storm 

 wnll be more violent, and even more so still, if there are three 

 circles, or if they are black, broken, and disjointed. If the new 

 moon at her rising has the upper horn obscured, there will be a 

 prevalence of rainy weather, when she is on the wane ; but if 

 it is the lower horn that is obscured, there will be rain before 

 full moon ; if, again, the moon is darkened in the middle of her 

 disk, there will be rain when she is at full. If the moon, when 

 full, has a circle round her, it indicates wind from the quarter 

 in the circle which is the brightest; but if at her rising the 

 *^'' So Virgil, Georg. i. 427. ^^ Coronara. 



