The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-09-24
ON POPULAR sUPERsTITIoNs, &c.
A CONVERSATION.

Poates. | hope we shall have another
good day tomorrow, for the clouds are red
IN the west.
Physicus. have no doubt of it, for the
red has tint of purple.
Hdt'enus. Do you know why this tint
portends fine weather?
Phys. The mir when dry, l believe, re-
tracts more red, or Matchmaking rays and
as dry air is not perfectly transparent, they
are again reflected in the horizon. | have
generally observed coppery or yellow
sunset to foretell rain but as an indication
OF wet weather approaching, nothing is
more certain than a halo round the moon
which is produced by the precipitated wa
ter; and the larger the circle the nearer
the clouds, and consequently the more ready
to fall.
: Hal. have often observed that the old
proyerb is correct
rainbow in the morning is the shepherds
warning;
A rainbow at night is the shepherds delight
Phys A rainbow can only occur when
the clouds containing or depositing the rain
are opposite to the sun, and in the evening
the rainbow is in the east, and in the morn
ing in the west and as our heavy rains in
this climate England are usually brought
by the westerly wind, a rainbow in the west
indicates that the bad weather is on the
road, by the wind, to us whereas the rain
bow in the east proves that the rain in these
clouds is passing from us.
PoH. have often observed, that when
the swallows fly high, fine weather is to be
expected or continued; but when they fly
low and close to the ground, rain is almost
this ?
Hal Swallows follow the flies and gnats,
and flies and gnats usually delight in warm
strata OF air; and, as warm air is lighter,
and usually moister, than cold air, when
the warm strata of air are high, there is less
chance of moisture being thrown down from
them by the mixture with cold air; but
when the warm and moist air is close to
the surface, it is almost certain that, as the
cold air flows down into it, deposition of
water will take place.
Poit. Ihave often seen sea-gulls assemble
on the land, and have almost always observ-
ed that very stormy and rainy weather was
approaching. / conclude that these ami
mails, sensible of current of air from the
ocean. retire to the land to shelter them
selves from the storm.
Ornither. No such thing. The storm is
their element; and the little petrol enjoys
the heaviest gale, because, living on the
smallest sea insects, he is sure to find his
food in the spray of heavy wave-and you
may see him fitting above the edge of the
highest surge. believe that The reason
of this migration Of sea-guIIs, and other
sea-birds, to the land, is their security of
finding food and they may be observed, at
this time, feeding greedily on the earth
worms and Larvae driven out of the ground
by severe floods: and the fish, on which
they prey in fine weather in the sea, leave
the surface and go deeper in storms.
The search after food, is the principal
cause why animals change their places.
The different tribes of the wading
birds always migrate when rain is about
to take place and l remember once, in
italy, having been long waiting, in the end
of March, for the arrival of the double snipe
in the Campagna of Rome; great fight
appeared on the Sd of April, and the
day after, heavy rain set in, which great
" interfered with my sport. The vulture
upon the same principle, follows armies
and | have no doubt that the augury
of the ancients was good deal founded
upon the observation of the instinct of birds.
There are many of the superstitions of the
vulgar owing to the same source. For an
glers, in spring, it is always unlucky to see
single nagpies but two may be regarded
as favorable omen; and the reason is,
Eo4 f,olI nd Of
pie alone leaves the nest in search of food,
the other remaining sitting upon the eggs
or the young ones but when two go out
together, it is only when the weather is
warm and mild, and favorable for fishing.
Poit. The singular connexions of caus-
es and effects to which you have Just re-
ferred, make superstition less to be wonder
ed at, particularly amongst the vulgar; and
when two facts naturally unconnected, have
been accidentally coincident, it is not sin
gular that this coincidence should have
been observed and registered, and that
omens of the most absurd kind should be
trusted to. In the west of England half u
century ago, particular noise on the sea
coast was referred to spirit or goblin, cal
led Bucca, and was supposed to foretell a
shipwreck; the philosopher knows that
sound travels much faster than currents in
the air, and the sound always foretold the
approach of a very heavy storm, which
seldom takes place on that wild and rocky
coast without shipwreck on some part OF
its extensive shores, surrounded by the
Atlantic.
Phgs. All the instances of omens you
have mentioned are founded on reason; but
how can you explain such absurdities as
Friday being an unlucky day, the terror Of
spilling salt, or meeting an old woman
knew man of very high dignity, who was
exceedingly moved by these omens, and who
never went out shooting without hittern's
claw fastened to his button-hole by rib
bon, which he thought ensured good luck.
Poit. These, as. well as the omens Of
IanAh s..aAnLnr Lrnnr mo Rrc for the nnsl