504 Prognoftics from the Clouds. [Book V. 



iky. Fifhermen, by this rule, frequently prognofticate 

 a ftorm, from a fmall point of a cloud appearing on the 

 vifible horizon at fea. 



When the clouds appear like fleeces, deep and denfc 

 towards the middle, and white at the edges, with a 

 bright blue fky about them, either hafty fhowers of 

 rain, hail, or fnow, may be expected. 



Mr. Jones, in his philofophical difquifitions, fays, 

 that he predicted a high wind forty hours before it 

 began, from the complexion of a fingle cloud, with 

 white edges, and dark diverging lines from it j after 

 this appearance there was a great dorm, which laded 

 for two days and two nights. 



When the clouds, as they come forward, appear 

 to diverge from a point in the horizon, a wind may 

 be predicted, either from that or the oppofite quarter. 



When the fky is covered with clouds above, and 

 there are fmall black fragments of clouds, like Imoke, 

 fly ing underneath, rain is generally near, and frequently 

 lading. 



The mod certain fign of rain is two different cur- 

 rents of clouds, efpecially if the lower current flies 

 fad before the wind j when two fuch currents appear 

 in hot weather, they forebode a thunder-dorm. 



The inhabitants of the Alps, when didant objects 

 appear didinct and well defined, and when the fky ap- 

 pears of a deep blue, fuppofe it a decifive fign of rain, 

 though no other fign of it may appear. The blue 

 colour of the fky in any country is certainly occafioned 

 ' by a quantity of vapour equally diffufed through the 

 air at the time. 



Mr. Adams obferves of the dew, that, when it ap- 

 pears plentifully upon the grafs after a fair day, another 

 fair day may be expected ; but if after fuch a fair day 

 there is no dew upon the ground, and no wind dirring, 

 6 it 



