Meteors. 119 



well known property of the air, namely, 

 that warm air can dissolve, and keep dis- 

 solved, a greater quantity of water than 

 colder air : hence the air which comes 

 from colder regions being heated over 

 warmer countries, becomes a better sol- 

 vent of moisture, and dries up with great 

 energy the moist bodies it comes in con- 

 tact with ; and, on the other hand, warm 

 air coining into a colder region deposits 

 a quantity of the water it kept in solution 

 and occasions mists, fogs,clouds,rains,&:c. 

 In warm countries sometimes the winds 

 which blow over a great tract of highly 

 heated land, become so very drying, 

 scorching and suffocating, as to produce 

 dreadful effects. These winds under the 

 name ofsolanos, are often felt in the des- 

 erts of Arabia, in the neighbourhood of 

 the Persian gulph, in the interior of Af- 

 rica, and in some other places. There are 

 likewise in India, part of China, part of 

 Africa, and else where, other winds, which 

 deposit so much warm moisture as to sof- 

 ten, and actually to dissolve glue, salts, 

 and almost every article which is soluble 

 in water. 



to produce rain or snow, according to the temperature of the 

 air ; whereas, as here stated, in Europe the same wind bio wine; 

 over land, it always produces dry, fair weather. 



