Meteorology

men and men of pleasure. The state of the weather is the password when people meet on the country road: we could not do without the humble talisman. "A fine day" comes spont

d wither" as often as "Terribl

n, is, or may be. It is a new stimulus to a lagging conversation at any dinner-table. All a

it was to be, considering that it had been wet for some time. The keeper crippled to the barometer outside the doorway, and returned with the matter-of-fact answer: "She's faurer doon ta tay nu

f "fall," the shutters come over the eyes of the observer. Next, even before breakfast, a move is made to the self-registering thermometer (set the night before) on a stone, a couple of feet above the grass. A good reading, above the freezing-point in winter and much above it in summer, indicates the absence of killing rimes, that are generally followed by rain. A very low register accounts for the feeling of cold during the night, though the fires were not out; and predicts precarious weather. Ordinarily careful observers-as

er the inland leas during ploughing, are ordinary indicators of stormy weather. Wind is sure to follow violent wheelings of crows. "

ondly and firmly cling, must now yield to the exact handling of modern science; and with reluctance we have to part with them. Yet there is in all a fascination to account for certain ordinary phenomena. "The m

for the open mind, keen for useful information. The discoveries of

cientific basis than Dr. John Aitken, F.R.S., who has very kindly given me his full permission to popularise what I like of his numerous and very valuable scientific

passion. Many wrong tracks do they take, yet they start afresh, just as the detective has to take several courses before he hits upon the correc

Small things must not be overlooked, for great discoveries are sometimes at a man's very door. Dr. Aitken has shown us this in many of his discoveries which have revolutionised a branch of meteorology. Prudence, patience, observing po

bserver. And some of these curious weather-views will be disclosed in these pages, so as, in a brief but readable way, to explain the weat

tuit rerum cog

ir