Systema agriculturæ, the mystery of husbandry discovered treating of the several new and most advantagious ways of tilling, planting, sowing, manuring, ordering, improving of all sorts of gardens, orchards, meadows, pastures, corn-lands, woods & coppices, as also of fruits, corn, grain, pulse, new-hays, cattle, fowl, beasts, bees, silk-worms, &c. : with an account of the several instruments and engines used in this profession : to which is added Kalendarium rusticum, or, The husbandmans monthly directions, also the prognosticks of dearth, scarcity, plenty, sickness, heat, cold, frost, snow, winds, rain, hail, thunder, &c. and Dictionarium rusticum, or, The interpretation of rustick terms, the whole work being of great use and advantage to all that delight in that most noble practice.

SECT. III. Of Observations and Prognosticks taken from Beasts.

It is a thing worthy of admiration and consideration, how the Beasts of the Field, Fowls of the Air, &c. should be capa∣ble of so great a degree of knowledge and understanding, as to foresee the different changes and varieties of seasons; and not from common observations, as man doth, but from a certain in∣stinct of Nature, as is most evident.

Several significations of the change of weather are taken * 1.1 from the different postures of these Beasts; as, if they lie on their right side, or look towards the South, or look upwards, as though they would snuff up the Air; according to the Poet:

Mollipedesque Boves spectantes lumina Coeli, * 1.2 Naribus humiferum duxere ex Aere Succum.

Or if they eat more than ordinary, or lick their Hoofs all about,

Convenit instantes praenoscere protinus Imbres, * 1.3

Rain follows forthwith.

If they run to and fro more than ordinary, flinging and kick∣ing, and extending their Tails, Tempests usually follow.

If the Bull leadeth the Herd, and will not suffer any of them to go before him, it presageth Winde and Rain.

If Sheep feed more than ordinary, it signifies Rain; or if the * 1.4 Rams skip up and down, and eat greedily.

If Kids leap or stand upright, or gather together in Flocks or * 1.5 Herds, and feed near together, it presageth Rain.

If the Ass bray more than ordinary, or without any other * 1.6 apparent cause, it presageth Rain or windes.

If Dogs howl, or dig holes in the earth, or scrape at the walls * 1.7 of the house, &c. more than usual, they thereby presage death to some person in that house, if sick; or at least tempestuous weather to succeed.

If the hair of dogs smell stronger than usual, or their guts tumble and make a noise, it presageth Rain or Snow; or they tumble up and down.

The Cat by washing her face, and putting her foot over her * 1.8 Ear, foreshews Rain.

It hath been anciently observed, that before the fall of a house, * 1.9 the Mice and Rats have forsaken it.

The squeeking and skipping up and down of Mice and Rats, portend Rain.

—Parvi cum stridunt denique Mures, * 1.10 Cum gestire solo, cum ludere forte videntur, Portendunt crasso consurgere Nubila Coelo.

Of all Creatures, the Swine is most troubled against winde or * 1.11 Tempests, which makes Countrymen think that only they see the winde.

They usually shake Straw in their mouths against Rain: As Virgil:

—Ore solutus Immundi meminere sues jactare Maniplos:

If they play much, it signifies the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Beeves or Kine, &c.
• * 1.2

  Cicero.
• * 1.3

  Avien.
• * 1.4

  Of Sheep.
• * 1.5

  Of Kids▪
• * 1.6

  Of Asses.
• * 1.7

  Of Dogs.
• * 1.8

  Of Cats.
• * 1.9

  Of Mice and Rats.
• * 1.10

  Avien.
• * 1.11

  Of Swine.