Chap. 46.] DITFEBEirr KUTDS OP WINDS. 73 



winds with more minuteness than perhaps might otherwise 

 appear suitable to my undertaking. 



CHAP. 46. (47.) — THE DirrEEENT KINDS OF WINDS^ 



The ancients reckoned only four winds (nor indeed does 

 Homer mention more^) corresponding to the four parts of 

 the world ; a very poor reason, as we now consider it. The 

 next generation added eight others, but this was too refined 

 and minute a division; the modems have taken a middle 

 course, and, out of this great number, have added four to the 

 original set. There are, therefore, two in each of the four 

 quarters of the heavens. From the equinoctial rising of the 

 Bun^ proceeds Subsolanus^, and, from nis brumal rising, Vul- 

 tumus'* ; the former is named by the Greeks Apeliotes*, the 

 latter Eurus. From the south we have Auster, and from the 

 brumal setting of the sun, Africus ; these were named Notos 



* In his account and nomenclature of the winds, Pliny has, for the 

 most part, followed Aristotle, Meteor, lib. ii. cap. 4. pp. 558-560, and 

 cap. 6. pp. 563-565. The description of the different winds by Seneca 

 is not very different, but where it does not coincide with Aristotle's, our 

 author has generally preferred the former ; see Nat. Qusest. hb. 5. We 

 have an account of the different winds, aa prevailing at particular sea- 

 sons, in Ptolemy, De Judiciis AstroL 1. 9. For the nomenclature and 

 directions of the winds, we may refer to the remarks of Hardouin, Le- 

 maire, i. 328 et seq. * Odyss. v. 295, 296. 



« In giving names to the different winds, the author designates the 

 points of the compass whence they proceed, by the place where the sun 

 rises or sets, at the different periods of the year. The following are the 

 terms which he employs : — " Oriens sequinoctialis," the place where the 

 Bim rises at the equinox, i. e. the East. " Oriens brmnalis," where he 

 rises on the shortest day, the S.E. " Occasus brumalis," where he sets 

 on the shortest day, the S.W. " Occasus sequinoctialis," where he sets 

 at the equinox, the "W. *' Occasus solstitialis," where he sets on the 

 longest day, the N.W. "Exortus solstitialis," where he rises on the 

 longest day, the N.E. " Inter septemtrionem et occasimi solstitialem," 

 between N. and N.W., N.N.W. " Inter aquilonem et exortum sequi- 

 noctialem," between N. and N.E., N.N.E. " Inter ortum brumalem et 

 meridiem," between S. and S.E., S.S.E. " Inter meridiem et hybemum 

 occidentem," between S. and.S.W., S.S.W. 



* " Quod sub sole nasci videtur." 



5 This name was probably derived from the town Yultumum in Cam- 

 pania. 



^ Seneca informs us, that what the Latins name Subsolanus, is named 

 by the Greeks *A^)j\»wri?s j Qusest. Nat. lib. 5. § 16. p. 764. 



