294 NATURAL HISTORY 



63. If the sea swell silently, and rises higher than ordinary 

 within the harbour, or the tide come in sooner than it uses 

 to do, it foretells wind. 



64. Sound from the hills, and the murmur of woods 

 growing louder, and a noise in open champion fields, por 

 tends wind. Also a prodigious murmuring of the element, 

 without thunder, for the most part presages winds. 



65. Leaves and straws playing on the ground, without 

 any breath of wind that can be felt, and the down of plants 

 flying about, feathers swimming and playing upon the water, 

 signify that wind is near at hand. 



66. Waterfowls flying at one another, and flying toge 

 ther in flocks, especially seamews and gulls, flying from 

 the sea and lakes, and hastening to the banks and shores, 

 especially if they make a noise and play upon dry land, 

 they are prognostics of winds, especially if they do so in 

 the morning. 



67. But, contrariwise, seafowls going to the water, and 

 beating with their wings, chattering and bathing themselves, 

 especially the crow, are all presages of storms. 



68. Duckers and ducks cleanse their feathers with their 

 bills against wind ; but geese with their importunate crying 

 call for rain. 



69. A hern flying high, so that it sometimes flies over a 

 low cloud, signifies wind; but kites, when they fly high, 

 foreshow fair weather. 



70. Crows, as it were, barking after a sobbing manner, 

 if they continue in it, do presage winds, but if they catch- 

 ingly swallow up their voice again, or croak a long time to 

 gether, it signifies that we shall have some showers. 



71. A chattering owl was thought by the ancients to 

 foretell change of weather; if it were fair, rain; if cloudy, 

 fair weather. But with us the owl making a clear and 

 free noise, for the most part signifies fair weather, especially 

 in winter. 



72. Birds perching in trees, if they fly to their nests, and 

 give over feeding betimes, it presages tempest. But the 

 hern standing, as it were, sad and melancholy upon the 

 sand, or a crow walking up and down, do presage wind 

 only. 



73. Dolphins playing in a calm sea are thought to pre 

 sage wind from that way they come ; and if they play and 

 throw up water when the sea is rough, they presage fair 

 weather. And most kinds of fishes swimming on the top of 

 the water, and sometimes leaping, do prognosticate wind. 



