160 Prognostics of the Weather. 



But if his cheeks are swoll'n with livid blue, 

 He bodes wet weather by his wat'rv hue ; 

 If dusky spots are varied on his brow, 

 And streaked with red, a troubled colour show, 

 That sullen mixture shall at once declare 

 Winds, rain, and storms, and elemental war. 



But if with purple rays he brings the light, 

 And a pure heav'n resigns to quiet night; 

 No rising winds, or falling storms are nigh." 



More Prognostics taken from the Clouds. 



3rd RULE. Clouds large, like rocks, great showers. 



4th Rule. If small clouds increase, much rain. 



5th Rule. If large clouds decrease, fair weather. 



6th Rule. In summer, or harvest, when the wind has 

 been south two or three days, and it grows very hot, and 

 you see clouds rise with great white tops, like towers, as if 

 one were on the top of another, and joined together with 

 black on the nether side, there will be thunder and rain 

 suddenly. 



7th. Rule. If two such clouds rise, one on either side, it 

 is time to make haste to shelter. 



Mr. Worlidge gives us the following Rules. 



" IN a fair day, if the sky seems to be dappled with white 

 clouds (which is usually termed a mackerel sky), it gene- 

 rally predicts rain." 



This is confirmed by a very ingenious gentleman, who 

 has constantly observed that, " in dry weather, so soon as 

 clouds appear at a great height, striped like the feathers in 

 the breast of a hawk, rain may be expected in a day or so." 



" In a clear evening, certain small black clouds appearing, 

 are undoubted signs of rain to follow ; or, if black or blue 

 clouds appear near the sun, at any time of the day, or near 

 the moon by night, rain usually follows. 



" If clouds grow, or appear suddenly, the air otherwise 

 free from clouds, it denotes tempests at hand, especially if 

 they appear to the south or west. 



