CONCERNING WEATHER SIGNS, 13-15 



Many shooting : stars are a sign of rain or wind, 

 and the wind or rain will come from that quarter 

 from which they appear. Again, if at sunrise or 

 sunset the sun's rays appear massed together, it is a 

 sign of rain. 2 Also it is a sign of rain when at sun- 

 rise the rays 3 are coloured as in an eclipse ; and also 

 when there are clouds 4 like a fleece of wool. The 

 rising of bubbles 5 in large numbers on the surface of 

 rivers is a sign of abundant rain. And in general, 

 when a rainbow 6 is seen round or through a lamp, it 

 signifies rain from the south. 



Again, if the wind is from the south, the snuff 7 

 of the lamp-wick indicates rain ; it also indicates 

 wind in proportion to its bulk and size : while if 

 the snuff is small, like millet-seed, 8 and of bright 

 colour, it indicates rain as well as wind. Again, 

 when in winter the lamp rejects 9 the flame but 

 catches, as it were, here and there in spurts, it is 

 a sign of rain : so also is it, if the rays of light leap 

 up on the lamp, or if there are sparks. 



It is a sign of rain or storm when birds which are 

 not aquatic take a bath. It is a sign of rain when a 

 toad takes a bath, and still more so when frogs are 

 vocal. So too is the appearance of the lizard known 

 as ( salamander,' 10 and still more the chirruping of 

 the green frog in a tree. It is a sign of rain when 

 swallows n hit the water of the lakes with their 

 belly. It is a sign of storm or rain when the ox 



9 i.e. refuses to light properly. The appearance seems to 

 be that described Verg. Geory. 1. 391 (scintillare oleum). In 

 the same passage putres concrescere fungos perhaps illustrates 

 the comparison of the snuff to millet-seed above. 



10 cf. de ifjne 60, where it is explained why the salamander 

 puts fire out. 



11 Plin. 18. 363 ; Verg. Georg. 1. 377. 



399 



