452 The Natural History of Selborne 



thermometer abroad at once full ten degrees. The first notices of 

 thaws often seem to appear in vaults, cellars, &c. 



If a frost happens, even when the ground is considerably dry, as 

 soon as a thaw takes places, the paths and fields are all in a batter. 

 Country people say that the frost draws moisture. But the true 

 philosophy is, that the steam and vapours continually ascending 

 from the earth, are bound in by the frost, and not suffered to escape 

 till released by the thaw. No wonder then that the surface is all in 

 a float ; since the quantity of moisture by evaporation that arises 

 daily from every acre of ground is astonishing. WHITE. 



FROZEN SLEET. 



JANUARY 20. Mr. H.'s man says that he caught this day in a lane 

 near Hackwood park, many rooks, which, attempting to fly, fell 

 from the trees with their wings frozen together by the sleet, that 

 froze as it fell. There were, he affirms, many dozen so disabled. 

 WHITE. 



MIST, CALLED LONDON SMOKE. 



THIS is a blue mist which has somewhat the smell of coal smoke, 

 and as it always comes to us with a N. E. wind, is supposed to come 

 from London. It has a strong smell, and is supposed to occasion 

 blights. When such mists appear they are usually followed by dry 

 weather. WHITE. 



REFLECTION OF FOG. 



WHEN people walk in a deep white fog by night with a lanthorn, if 

 they will turn their backs to the light, they will see their shades 

 impressed on the fog in rude gigantic proportions. This phenome- 

 non seems not to have been attended to, but implies the great 

 density of the meteor at that juncture. WHITE. 



