BOOK II.] History of Nature. 85 



Vapour, redoubled by the Hotness of that Star, is thought to 

 be assuaged by them : and no Winds keep their set Times 

 better than they. Next after them come the South Winds 

 again, which are usually up, until the Star Arcturus riseth, 

 and that is eleven Days before the autumnal Equinox. With 

 it entereth Corns, and thus Corns beginneth the Autumn ; 

 and to this Vulturnus is contrary. After that Equinox about 

 four-and-forty Days, the Vergilice go down and begin Win- 

 ter, which Season usually falleth upon the third Day before 

 the Ides of November. This is the Winter North-east Wind, 

 which is far unlike to that in Summer, opposite and contrary 

 to Africus. Seven Days before the Midwinter Day, and as 

 much after, the Sea is allayed and calm for the Sitting and 

 Hatching of the Birds Halciones 1 , from which these Days 

 took the Name Alcionis: the Time behind belongs to Winter. 

 And yet these boisterous Seasons, full of Tempests, shut not 

 up the Sea : for Pirates at first forced Men, with Peril of 

 Death, to run headlong upon their Death, and to hazard 

 themselves in Winter Seas ; and now Covetousness compels 

 them to do the like. 



The coldest Winds of all other are those which, we said, 

 blow from the North, and together with them their Neigh- 

 bour, Corns. These Winds allay all others, and drive away 

 Clouds. Moist Winds are Africus, and especially the South 

 Wind of Italy, called Auster. Men report also, that Ccecias 

 in Pontus gathereth to itself Clouds. Corns and Vulturnus 

 are dry, but only when they cease. The North-east and the 

 North produce Snow. The North Wind also bringeth Hail, 

 as doth Corns. The South Wind is exceeding hot. Vulturnus 

 and Favonius be warm. They also be drier than the East : 



1 Ovid relates the fable of the origin of the Halcyon, or Alcyon, 

 " Metamorphoses," book xi. fable 10; and Pliny describes the bird in his 

 book x. c. 32. 2Elian also speaks of it, book i. c. 36 ; and he describes the 

 wonders of the nest, b. ix. c. 17, in a manner which the ancients gene- 

 rally appear to have regarded as substantially true; but it is scarcely 

 necessary to remark, that modern observation has not corroborated this 

 belief in any particular. In book xxxii. c. 8, Pliny speaks of a medicine 

 which was supposed to be prepared from the nest of the Alcyon, or King- 

 fisher. Wern. Club. 



