BOOK II. xLvii. 122-125 



positions I shall give afterwards, although every 

 leap-year they come a day earher, but they keep the 

 regular rule in the period that follows. Cei'tain 

 persons give the name CheUdonias to the West 

 wind on the 19th February, owing to the appearance 

 of the swallow, but some call it Oi'nithias, from the 

 arrival of the birds on the 71st day after the shortest 

 day, when it blows for nine days. Opposite to the 

 West wind is the wind that we have called Subsolanus 

 (E.). The rise of the Pleiads in the same degrees 

 of Taurus on May 10 brings summer ; it is a period 

 of South wind, Auster, the opposite of Septentrio. 

 But in the hottest period of summer the Dog-star 

 rises, when the sun is entering the first degree of 

 Leo — this day is July 17. The Dog-star's rise is 

 preceded for about eight days by North-east winds : 

 these are called the Forerunners. But two days 

 after his rising the North-east winds begin again, 

 and continue blowing steadily for 30 days ; these are 

 called Etesian or Annual winds. They are beheved 

 to be softened by the sun's warmth being reinforced 

 by the heat of the star; and they are the most 

 regular of any of the winds, They are foUowed in 

 turn by South winds, continuing to the rise of 

 Arcturus, which occurs 40 days before the autumnal 

 equinox. With the equinox begins the North-west 

 wind ; this, the opposite of ^^olturnus, marks the 

 beginning of autumn. About 44 days after the 

 autumnal equinox the setting of the Pleiads mai'ks 

 the beginning of winter, which it is customary to 

 date on November 11 ; this is the period of the 

 Minter Aquilo, which is very unhke the summer one 

 mentioned above ; it is opposite to the South-west 

 wind. But for six days before the shortest day and 



265 



