76 
Pliny's natueal history. 
[Book XL 
this is connected with the rising of the Yergilise, in the 25th 
degree of Taurus, six days before the Ides of May\ which is 
the time when south winds prevail: these are opposite to 
Septemtrio. The dog-star rises in the hottest time of the 
summer, when the sun is entering the first degree of Leo^ ; 
this is fifteen days before the Calends of August. The north 
winds, which are called Prodromi^, precede its rising by about 
eight days. But in two days after its rising, the same north 
winds, which are named Etesise^, blow more constantly during 
this period ; the vapour from the sun, being increased twofold 
by the heat of this star, is supposed to render these vrinds 
more mild ; nor are there any which are more regular. After 
these the south winds become more frequent, until the appear- 
ance of Arcturus^, which rises eleven days before the autumnal 
equinox. At this time Corns sets in ; Corns is an autumnal 
wind, and is in the opposite direction to Vulturnus. After 
this, and generally for forty-four days after the equinox, at 
the setting ol the Vergilise, the winter commences, which 
usually happens on the third of the Ides of November^. This 
is the period of the winter north wind, which is very unlike 
the summer north wind, and which is in the opposite direc- 
tion to Africus. Tor seven days before the winter solstice, 
and for the same length of time after it, the sea becomes 
calm, in order that the king-fishers may rear their young ; 
from this circumstance they have obtained the name of the 
halcyon days^ ; the rest of the season is winterly^. Yet the 
1 Corresponding to the lOth of May. 
2 According to the Roman calendar, this corresponds to the 20th July, 
but, according to the text, to the l7th. Columella says, that the sun en- 
ters Leo on the 13th of the Calends of August ; xi. 2. 
3 " quasi preecursores ;" Hardouin, in Lemaire, i. 335. Cicero refers 
to these winds in one of his letters to Atticus ; xiv. 6. 
^ €Tr}(7iai, ab eVos, annus. 
s This will be on the 13th of September, as, accorduig to our author, 
xviii. 24, the equinox is on the 24th. 
6 This corresponds to the 11th of November ; forty-four days before 
this wiU be the 29th of September. 
7 Or Halcyonides. This topic is considered more at length in a sub- 
sequent part of the work ; x. 47. 
The author, as it appears, portions out the whole of the year into 
fourteen periods, during most of which certain winds are said to blow, 
or, at least, to be decidedly prevalent. Although the winds of Italy are 
