n; and then many thick clouds appear'd low
in the _West_; yet no change of the weather here; the Wind, Frost, and
Quick-silver, the same, _December_ 18. the _Mercury_ fell almost 1/4 of an
inch, and the sky and Air so clear and bright and cold with an _East-wind_,
that I wondred what could cause the _Mercury_ to descend. I Expected, it
should have ascended, as usually it does in such clear skys. Casually I
sent my servant abroad, and he discovered the remote Hills, about 20. miles
off, cover'd with {159} snow, This seem'd to manifest, that the Air, being
discharged of the clouds by snow, became lighter.

15. I have seldom seen the change to be very great, at any one time. For,
though I do not now take a deliberate view of my Notes, yet I wonder'd once
to see, that in one day it subsided about 3/4 of an inch.

16. Of late I have altered my Method upon the _Barometer_, observing it, as
it is before my Eyes, all day long, and much of the night, being watchful
for the moments of every particular change, to examine, what cause in the
Air and Heavens may appear for such changes. And now my wonder is, to see,
how slow it is, it holding most between the nine and twentieth and
thirtieth inch of late.

17. I must now (_January_ 13. 1665/6) tell you, that the _Mercury_ stands
at this time (as it did also yesterday) a quarter above 30. inches; yet
both days very dark and cloudy, sometimes very thick and misty Air; which
seldom falls out. For, for the most part, I see it higher in clearest
setled weather, than in such cloudy and misty Foggs. This thick Air and
darkness hath lasted above a week; lately more Cold, and _East_ and
_North-East_ wind.

[Sidenote: _This seems to be wished, because the motion of the _Mercury_
may be more free in a wider Cane._]

_Thus far_ the Notes of this Observing _Divine_; of which Mr. _Boyle_, to
whom they were also communicated, entertains these thoughts, that they seem
to him very faithfully made, and do for the main, agree well enough with
his observations, as far as he remembers, not having them, it seems, at
that time, when he wrote this, at hand; and though it be wished by him,
that the Observer's Glass-Cane had been somewhat bigger; yet his diligence
in fitting it so carefully, or rather so skilfully, as is above-mentioned,
is much by him commended. {160}

* * * * *

_Some Observations of _Vipers_._

A curious _Italian_, called _Francesco Redi_, having late