216 On the Popular Weather Prognostics of Scotland. 
I have been led to form this opinion from finding that 
the same phenomenon is by different persons in the same 
locality made to presage totally different conditions of the 
weather. Appearances which are marvellous, startling, or 
uncommon, are apt to be accepted by the ignorant as pro- 
phetic of coming change of some sort. It is thus that the 
aurora has been thought to predict wind by some, and war 
by others, while the Eskimo looks on it simply as a game, 
which the spirits of departed relatives are playing. 
There is also a probability that not a few of those prog- 
nostics which are connected with the conduct and move- 
ments of animals, will have to be rejected as groundless. 
But for several reasons I think that this must be done with 
caution. or instance, when the screaming of the peacock 
is said to indicate coming rain, I find that this does not 
refer to a cry once or twice repeated, which may have a 
score of causes, but to a persistent screaming, with evidence 
of discomfort, and without manifest cause. There is a great 
difference between the simple statement that the peacock’s | 
screaming foretells rain, and the other statement, with its 
important qualifications. In its bare form we might pro- 
perly reject the prognostic as worthless, and as properly | 
retain it when amplified. 
It becomes, therefore, exceedingly desirable that we should 
possess a full and minute description of all popular weather — 
prognostics. Of but a few in the collection can I pretend 
to have given this, which I believe can only be obtained — 
through the co-operation of many observers, whose atten-— 
tion has been drawn to the things which should be ob- 
served by some such collection as that which I now forward. 
I frequently experienced the greatest difficulty in carrying 
away a Clear understanding of the sky and cloud signs. 
“You must see the thing, sir, to know it,” was often the 
end of a fruitless effort to make sure of what was meant. 
The roughest sketch in such a case would be of the greatest 
value. Of this Mr Clouston has given an illustration, which 
will be found at page 222. ) 
There is another reason—and one of general application. 
—for caution in rejecting any old popular prognostic as 
utterly worthless. Though singly it may be of little value, 
