162 Scientific Intelligence. 
the morning, foretell rain; and also, whether stubs or pieces of rainbow 
foretell storms and rain. 
“ Aurora Boreales—especially, whether a brilliant aurora, in early 
autumn, is followed in forty-eight hours by a storm of wind and rain 
which lasts two or three days. 
** Haloes, Coronas, and Parhelia; whether they are all indicative of 
rain in connection with the sun and moon—and especially, whether, when 
a break is observed in a corona round the moon, the wind will ultimately 
blow from that quarter. 
“ Thunder and Lightning—especially, whether a severe storm of thun- 
der and lightning at the end of May or beginning of June is followed, for 
six weeks or more, by a low temperature; and whether flashes of sheet 
lightning in the night indicate snow in winter, and rain in summer. 
“ Meteors or Fire Balls; whether they certainly predict a storm of 
wind and rain. 
“ Falling Stars, and their effects—and especially, whether the wind 
will chop round quickly in the direction to which the star falls. 
** Sfars—when visible very near the moon, whether they predict rain. 
** Mists and Fogs—especially, whether, when the mist is seen going 
up the hill-side and passing away behind the hill, it is followed by fine 
weather ; and whether, when the mist descends the hill-face, it is fol- 
lowed by rain ; and what follows a fog in frost, and an eastern fog from 
the sea in spring—whether these are signs of wet or dry weather. 
*« Distant Objects—when apparently nearer, or with better defined - 
outlines than usual—whether a sign of rain, and how soon after. 
‘* Rain and Drought, their duration and effects—and especially, 
whether, when a slight shower of rain falls in the morning, and but for 
a short time, the weather will be fine for the rest of the day; and 
whether, when rain begins to fall heavily about midday, it will continue 
to fall until dark or afterwards. 
“* Seed-time.—First sowing of seed in spring, specifying the kinds. 
‘* Harvest.—First day and last day of harvest. 
** Trees.— Whether, when the oak puts forth its leaves before the ash, 
the following summer is wet or dry. 
“ Hoar-Frost.— Whether the arrangement of the crystals of hoar-frost 
on the margin of the leaves of evergreens is always the same on the 
same kind of plant, and different on different kinds of plants. 
“ Anamals.— Whether the actions of animals—such as sheep making 
their lair in a sheltered place, pigs carrying straw in their mouth—are 
indicative of a change of weather. 
“‘ Birds.—The cries of birds—as the whistling of the curlew, the call of 
the partridge, the scream of the peacock, the drumming of the snipe in 
the air—whether they indicate any change. 
‘“‘ The flocking of birds in large numbers, and its effects. 3 
y ‘* The first and last appearance of the swallow, specifying the different 
inds, 
*‘ Sounds.—The roaring of the ocean, the hearing of distant sounds, 
and their effects, 
‘* Any other phenomena which the observers have noticed, would be 
desirable to have noted down. 
“It would be also desirable to have the opinion of the observers as to 
the cause or causes of the phenomena they observe and record. 
“A collection of the popular sayings in regard to the weather, from 
shepherds, ploughmen, fishermen, and seamen, would be a valuable ac- 
quisition for the Meteorological Society, in order to their being corrobo- 
rated or refuted.” 
Stephens on Meteorological Phenomena.—Mr Henry Stephens (the well- 
