VOL. XXIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 87 



of passage, there are vast flights of pigeons, coming and departing at certain 

 seasons. 



As to antipathies, and the force of imagination ; he says, a gentlewoman of 

 his neighbourhood swoons upon the seeing any one cut their nails with a knife; 

 but when done with a pair of scissars, it has no effect on her, &c. 



He observes, that the Indians have no division of time, except by sleeps, 

 moons and winters. Though the Indians have not distinguished the stars into 

 constellations, yet it is observable that they call the stars of Ursa Major, 

 Paukunawaw, that is, the Bear; and this long before they had any communica- 

 tion with Europeans. He says, there is a tradition among them, that in 

 November 1 668, a star appeared below the body of the moon, within its horns. 

 That the evening glade, first noticed by Dr. Childrey, is constantly observed 

 there in February, and a little before and after that month; adding, that the 

 cause of that appearance must be sought for above the atmosphere. 



As to the appearances of several uncommon rainbows and mock suns: on the 

 id of January, in a clear sky, but very cold, the sun was from 10 o'clock, for 

 near 3 hours after, attended with 4 parhelia, in the middle of which were two 

 rainbows. About 6 weeks after, in a day much colder than used to be at that 

 time of the year, the air a little hazy, a little after one o'clock, for about half 

 an hour, 4 mock-suns were seen. 



As to earthquakes, which though they have not done the mischiefs frequent 

 in Sicily, Italy, &c. yet they have had several very sensible shocks. In the year 

 J 663, they had 6 or 7 violent shakes in the space of 3 days : a town lying on 

 the river Connecticut, has had scores of them in a year, for many years to- 

 gether. The Indians affirm, that several rivers have not only been stopped in 

 their course, and diverted, but some wholly swallowed up by earthquakes. He 

 mentions as an accident sometimes happening to them in the winter, that it has 

 rained plentifully, and at night frozen so extremely, that the weight of the 

 icicles has broken the limbs of the trees, and not unfrequently split their trunks. 

 Though they have not those hurricanes to which the Caribbe Islands are sub- 

 ject, yet they have had whirlwinds, or gusts, drive along a particular narrow 

 tract, for several miles together, with a violence not to be opposed by any thing 

 on earth ; that if their towns had stood in the way, they must undoubtedly have 

 been destroyed. Of these, he says, a thick dark, small cloud has arisen, with a 

 pillar of light in it, of about 8 or 10 feet diameter, and passed along the ground 

 in a track not wider than a street, tearing up trees by the roots, blowing them 

 up in the air like feathers, and throwing up stones of a great weight to a con- 

 siderable height in the air, and throwing down all in its passage; the noise this 



