202 (iUEUNSEY WE AIM 10 R LOME. 



When tlie sky is loaded (witli clouds) in the north, and 

 clear in the south, put on your jacket, and stand u]) (on 

 the watch) : but when the sky is loaded in the south and 

 clear in the north, take off your jacket, and go to slec]). 



When portions of a rainbow are seen on the horizon 

 in winter, they are called drs ieils de hoc t/f and are considered 

 certain signs of a])proaching stormy weather. The flight of 

 a heron over the land in daytime also indicates a coming 

 storm : Qua/id tv re un keron^ dh an panre (piil apic. s<i 

 maison (Avhen you see a heron, tell the poor man to pro]) 

 up his house). In winter time when the sky is overcast 

 with heavy clouds, the sim's rays sometimes penetrate and 

 throw streaks of \m\\t downwards ; this foretells liio-li wind 

 coming from the op])Osite direction : Via d's\rp1ats an soJeil 

 (there are props to the sun). 



^Vlany proverbs allude to change of wind. Thus, when 

 the Casquets Lighthouse, which is fifteen miles away, appears 

 high and unusually near, it is said: Cas(p(,cts dans Tn^ cK est 

 saigne de voit d\iid (Casquets at your door, that's a sign 

 of southerly wind). When a strong northerly gale dies down 

 towards evening, they say : Vent d^Nord perdn se rtrouve 

 an Snd (north wind lost finds itself again in the south). 

 And again if a high wind from the north-east lulls in the 

 evening it will recommence blowing the following day : Lc 

 vent d\imont jionr dnra'i^prend la, niet pour se rj)osa'i (northerly 

 wind, in order to last, takes the night to rest). 



Foul weather is sometimes foretold by the strange 

 behaviour of birds. When crows fly wildly, making a great 

 noise, and pecking at each other, it is a sign of coming- 

 wind and rain : Via, les cahonettes cpd s^entre-pinchent (the 

 crows are pinching each other). When the black swallows, 

 or Swifts, fly very low, or close to the ground, it is always 

 a sign of bleak wind or cold rain coming : and it is said 



Via les piconais: fnavon pas hel (there are the pick-axes: we 

 shall not have it fine). The remarkable resemblance of these 

 birds when on the wing to an ordinary pick-axe accounts 

 for this singular name. 



When the more distant islands, like Jersey, Alderney 

 and Sark, and also the coast of France, assume a sombre 

 and black appearance, it signifies the approach of wet weather: 



Via les terres neres. A bright bar of clear sky on the 

 horizon shows that a fog is likely in that direction. Seagulls 

 flying about over the land point to the coming of a strong 

 bleak wind, and the saying is : Les maux nsont pas Vs 

 amis des terriens (seagulls are not the friends of landsmen). 



