Prognostics of the Weather. 157 



Their litter is not toss'd by sows unclean, 



And owls, that mark the setting sun, declare 

 A star-light ev'ning, and a morning fair. 



Then thrice the ravens rend the liquid air ; 

 And croaking notes proclaim the settled fair ; 

 Then round their airy palaces they fly. 

 To greet the sun, and seiz'd with secret joy 

 When storms are overblown, with food repair 

 To their forsaken nests and callow care." 



The crow has been particularly remarked by the ancients 

 to presage rain when she caws, and walks along on the sea- 

 shore, or on the banks of rivers and pools. Thus Virgil, in 

 the first Georgic : 



" Turn cornix rauca pluviam vocat improba voce, 



Et sola in sicca secum spatiatur arena." 

 " The crow with clamourous cries the shower demands, 

 And single stalks along the desert sands." DRTDEN. 



Pliny makes the same observation, in the 35th chapter of 

 his 18th book: "Et cum terrestres volucres contra aquas 

 clangores fundentes sese lavantesque sed maxime cornix." 

 " It is a sign of rain when land-fowl, and especially crows, 

 are clamorous near waters, and wash themselves." 



Horace also expresses himself to the same purpose, in the 

 17th Ode of the third Book, where he says : 



" Aqua3 nisi fallit augur, 

 Annosa cornix." 



" unless in vain 



Croaks the old crow, presaging rain." 



Likewise in the 27th Ode of the same Book, he calls the 

 crow, 



" Imbrium divina avis imminentum ;" 



" prophetic of impending showers." 



More Prognostics of the Weather taken from the Sun, 

 Moon, and Stars. 



1st RULE. If the sun rises red and fiery, wind and 



