NATURAL HISTORY OF WINDS. 243 



are vehement, some mild, some constant, some mutable ; 

 some hot, some cold, some moistening and dissolving; some 

 drying and astringent ; some gather clouds and are rainy, 

 and peradventure stormy ; some disperse the clouds, and 

 are clear. 



Divers qualities of winds. 



7. Inquire and give account, which are the winds of all 

 the forenamed sorts or kinds, and how they vary according 

 to the regions and places. 



There are three local beginnings of winds, either they 

 are thrown and cast down from above, or they spring out 

 of the earth, or they are made up of the very body of the 

 air. 



Local beginnings of winds, 



8. According to these three beginnings inquire concern 

 ing winds; namely, which are thrown down, out of that 

 which they call the middle region of the air ; which breathe 

 out of the concavities of the earth, whether they break out 

 together ; or whether they breathe out of the earth imper- 

 ceivably, and scattering, and afterwards gather together, 

 like rivulets into a river. Finally, which are scatteringly 

 engendered from the swellings and dilatations of the neigh 

 bouring air ? 



Neither are the generations of the winds original only, 

 for some there are also accidental, namely, by the compres 

 sions or restraints of the air, and by the percussions and 

 repercussions of it. 



Accidental generations and production of winds. 



9. Inquire concerning these accidental generations of 

 winds: they are not properly generations of winds; for 

 they rather increase and strengthen winds, than produce 

 and excite them. 



Hitherto of the community of winds. There are also 

 certain rare and prodigious winds, such as are called tem 

 pests, whirlwinds, and storms. These are above ground. 

 There are likewise some that are subterraneal and under 

 ground, whereof some vaporous and mercurial, they are 

 perceivable in mines ; some are sulphurous, they are sent 

 out, getting an issue by earthquakes, or do flame out of 

 fiery mountains. 



Extraordinary winds and sudden blasts. 



10. Inquire concerning such rare and prodigious winds, 

 and of all miraculous and wonderful things done by winds. 



