By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 45 
And this :— 
‘‘ Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, 
Never long wet, and never long dry.” * 
; 
And this :— 
*‘Rain before seven, 
Fine before eleven.” + 
And this again : 
‘¢ A Rainbow in the morning 
Is the shepherd’s warning ; 
A Rainbow at night 
: Is the shepherd’s delight.” 
—_ = 
Or, as it is rendered in the vernacular of our downs :— 
“ The rainbow in the marnin 
Gives the shepherd warnin 
To car er’s gurt cwoat on er’s back; 
The rainbow at night 
Is the shepherd’s delight 
For then no gurt ewoat will er lack ;” t+ 

*® Another cloud proverb, though unknown in Wiltshire, is:— 
** If woolly fleeces spread the heavenly way, 
Be sure no rain disturbs the summer’s day.’ 
+ The following proverbs with reference to rain and wind are to be heard amongst our sea- 
faring people on the coasts:— : 
*‘ When the rain comes before the winds 
You may reef when it begins ; 
But when the wind comes before the rain 
You may hoist your topsails up again.” 
“When the wind is in the North, 
The skilful fisher goes not forth.’ 
+ In considering this prognostic, it should be borne in mind that in the former case the rainbow 
_ will appear in the west, and in the latter in the east. The same proverb is in use also across the 
Channel ;— 





** Arc en ciel du soir™ 
Fait beau temps preyoir ; 
Are en ciel du matineé 
Du laboureur finit la journée,” 
But elsewhere in France it is differently read :— 
** Are en ciel du levant 
Beau temps ; 
Are en ciel du midi 
Pluie.” 
The rainbow however has always attracted especial notice as a weather guide, though its intelli- 
gence is variously interpreted. It is also generally known throughout Europe by some term of 
endearment or title of honour, testifying to the universal reverence in which it is held. Thus by 
the old Worsemen it was called “‘ Asbr ” or “‘ The Bridge of the Gods.” In Lithuania, “Laima’s 
Girdle,” the ‘‘ weatherrod,”’ or “* Heaven’s bow.” In Catalonia, ‘‘St.Martin’sbow.” In Lorraine, 
_ “St. Leonard's Belt,” or ‘St. Bernard’s Crown.” In Bavaria, ‘‘ Heaven’s Ring,” or ‘‘The Sun’s 
- Ring.” In Finland, ‘‘Heaven’s Bow.” In Croatia, ** The God’s Seat,’’ (Swainson’s Handbook of 
_ Weather Lore.) 
