166 Prognostics of the Weather. 



" A warm and open winter portends a hot and dry summer, 

 for the vapours disperse into the winter showers ; whereas, 

 cold and frost keep them in, and convey them to the late 

 spring and following summer. 



" Birds that change countries at certain seasons, if they 

 come early, show the temper of the weather, according to 

 the country whence they came ; as, in the winter, wood- 

 cocks, snipes, fieldfares, &c. if they come early, show a cold 

 winter ; and the cuckoos, if they come early, show a hot 

 summer to follow. 



" A serene autumn denotes a windy winter ; a windy 

 winter, a rainy spring ; a rainy spring, a serene summer ; a 

 serene summer, a windy autumn ; so that the air, on a 

 balance, is seldom debtor to itself; nor do the seasons suc- 

 ceed each other in the same tenor for two years together." 



Mr. Worlidge remarks, " that if at the beginning of the 

 winter the south wind blow, and then the north, it is likely 

 to be a cold winter ; but if the north wind first blow, and 

 then the south, it will be a warm and mild winter. 



" When there are but few nuts, cold and wet harvests 

 generally follow ; but when there is a great show of them, 

 hot, heavy, and dry harvests succeed. 



" If the oak bears much mast, it foreshows a long and hard 

 winter. The same has been observed of hips and haws. 



" If broom is full of flowers, it usually signifies plenty." 



" Mark well the flow'ring almonds in the wood ; 

 Tf od'rous blooms the bearing branches load, 

 The glebe will answer to the sylvan reign, 

 Great heats will follow, and large crops of grain. 

 But if a wood of leaves o'ershade the tree, 

 Such and so barren will the harvest be. 

 In vain the hind shall vex the threshing-floor, 

 For empty chaff and straw will be thy store." 



DRYDEN'S Virgil. 



