Chap, 29.] QUALITIES OP WATER. 491 



are constructed at the bottom, but "without cement,'^ in order 

 that the springs may not be intercepted. 



Some waters, the sources of which do not lie on elevated 

 ground, are coldest at the beginning of spring, being main- 

 tained by the winter rains in fact. Others, again, are coldest at 

 the rising of the Dog-star — peculiarities, both of them, to be 

 witnessed at Pella in Macedonia ; for in front of that city there 

 is a marsh-spring, which at the beginning of summer is cold, 

 while in the more elevated parts of the city the water is ice- 

 cold^^ in the hottest days of summer. The same is the case, 

 too, at Chios, the water-supply of the harbour and of the 

 city occupying the same relative positions. At Athens, the 

 water of the Fountain Enneacrunos^^ is colder in a cloudy 

 summer than the well there in the garden of Jupiter ; while 

 on the other hand, this last is ice-cold during the drought of a 

 hot summer. For the most part, however, wells are coldest 

 about the rising of Arcturus.*^ 



(4.) The water-supply of wells never fails in summer, but 

 in all cases it falls low during four days at the rising of the 

 constellation above-mentioned. Throughout the whole winter, 

 on the other hand, many wells entirely fail ; as in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Olynthus, for example, where the water returns 

 in the early days of spring. In Sicily too, in the vicinity of 

 Messana and Mylse, the springs are entirely dry throughout 

 the winter, while in summer they overflow and form quite a 

 river. At Apollonia in Pontus there is to be seen, near the 

 sea- shore, a fountain which overflows in summer only, and 

 mostly about the rising of the Dog- star ; should the summer, 

 however, not be so hot as usual, its water is less abundant. 

 Certain soils become drier in consequence of rain, that in the 

 territory of Narnia for example : a fact which M. Cicero has 

 mentioned in his " Admiranda," with a statement that drought 

 is there productive of mud, and rain of dust.^^ 



CHAP. 29. THE QUALITIES OF WATEE AT THE DIFPEEENT SEASONS 



OF THE TEAE. 



Every kind of water is freshest in winter, not so fresh in 



s"? " Arenatum." Properly a inortar, which consisted of one part lime 

 and two parts sand. ^^ " Eiget." 



2^ See B. iv. c. 11. At Bisley, in Surrey, there is a spring, Aubrey says, 

 that is cold in summer and warm in winter. ""^ See B. xviii. c. 7. 



*^ The sandy soil being dried in hot weather into masses of mud or clay, 

 which become loosened when rain falls. 



