The Science of the Weather , 789 



not likely to cease before evening, and may even continue to fall 

 during night-time. 



Halos round the sun and moon are in the majority of cases 

 followed by stormy weather, because the cloud-sheet of ice 

 crystals, in which the halos are produced by the refraction and 

 reflection of the light rays by the crystals, is always found in 

 front of a depression, though it may also occur without the 

 presence of a depression. 



Other maxims, again, have considerable value in some locali- 

 ties, but are inaccurate in others. In mountain districts the cloud- 

 cap that forms on the mountain-tops is often used as an indication 

 of the coming weather. 



Statements regarding the stormy presage of a red sky in the 

 morning, or of the happy augury of a grey dawn, are not always 

 trustworthy, for their accuracy depends entirely upon the meteor- 

 ological situation, and a good deal of expert knowledge is required 

 before such signs can be correctly interpreted. 



But, on the other hand, some "proverbs" are quite unworthy 

 of serious attention. The effect of the new moon upon the weather, 

 so widely believed in, has been investigated and found to be non- 

 existent. The belief that six weeks of daily rain will follow a wet 

 St. Swithin's Day is equally absurd, for the common occurrence 

 of more frequent rain after that date is due merely to the seasonal 

 change, from the dry early summer to the much wetter late sum- 

 mer and early autumn, to which our Islands are subject. 



But the old maxims provide a very interesting study, as 

 those can testify who have read the volume on Weather Lore, 

 compiled by Mr. Richard Inwards. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



CLARKE, G. A., Clouds. 



GEDDES, A. E. M., Meteorology, an Introductory Treatise. 



LEMPFERT, R. G. K., Meteorology and Weather Science. 



VOL. Ill 15 



