THE WATCHES. For the purpose of discipline on shipboard and to divide the watch fairly, the crew is mustered in two divisions: the Starboard (right side, looking toward the head), and the Port (left). The day commences at noon, and is thus divided: Afternoon Watch, noon to 4 P.M.; First Dog Watch, 4 P.M. to 6 P.M.; Second Dog Watch, 6 P.M. to 8 P.M.; First Watch, 8 P.M. to midnight; Middle Watch, 12 A.M. to 4 A.M.; Morning Watch, 4 A.M. to 8 A.M.; Fore noon Watch, 8 A.M. to noon. This makes seven Watches, which enables the crew to keep them alternately, as the Watch which comes on duty at noon one day has the afternoon next day, and the men who have only four hours' rest one night have eight hours the next. This is the reason for having Dog Watches, which are made by dividing the hours between 4 P.M. and 8 P.M. into two Watches. Time is kept by means of "bells," although scmetimes there is but one bell on the ship. THEROMOMETERS. Comparison between the scales of Fahrenheit, Reaumur and Centigrade. Zero Fahr. corresponds with minus 17.78° Cent. and minus 14.22° Reaumur. The fixed points in Fahrenheit's thermometer are the congelation of sal-ammoniac, marked 0°, and the heat of boiling water, marked 212°. The freezing point of water, is marked 32°. In Reaumur's thermometer 0° is marked at freezing point of water, and 80°at boiling point. In Celsius's, or Centigrade, thermometer O° also marks freezing point of water, but 100° marks the boiling-point. To convert degrees of one scale to those of another use the following formula: Here are some of the sayings in which sailors have long believed: Thunder on Sunday is considered by the weather-wise. the sign of the death of a great man; on Monday, the death of a woman; on Tuesday, if in early summer, it foretells an abundance of grain; on Wednesday, warfare is threatened; on Thursday, an abundance of sheep and corn the farmer may reckon upon; on Friday, some great man will be murdered; on Saturday, a general pestilence and great mortality. Friday's weather shows what may be expected on the following Sunday; that is, if it rains on Friday noon, then it will rain on Sunday, but if Friday be clear, then Sunday will be fine as well. The twelve days immediately following Christmas denote the weather for the coming twelve months, one day for a month. The day of the month the first snow storm appears indicates the number of snow storms the winter will bring. For example, the first snow storm comes on November 29-look out, then, for twenty-nine snow storms. A gale, moderating at sunset, will increase before midnight, but if it moderates after midnight the weather wil! improve. No weather is ill, if the wind is still. If the full moon shall rise red, expect wind. When you see northern lights you may expect cold weather. Hazy weather is thought to prognosticate frost in winter, snow in spring, fair weather in summer and rain in autumn. Storms that clear in the night will be followed by a rain storm. Three foggy mornings will surely be followed by a rain storm. When the sky is full of stars expect rain. If a cat washes herself calmly and smoothly the weather will be fair. If she washes "against the grain" take your mackintosh with you. If she lies with her back to the fire there will be a squall. Cats with their tails up and hair apparently electrified indicate approaching wind. If pigs are restless there will be windy weather. Figs can see the wind. The direction in which a loon flies in the morning will be the direction of the wind the next day. Magpies flying three or four together and uttering harsh cries predict windy weather. "MARES' TAILS." The feathery clouds sometimes called "mares' tails," float far aloft in the heavens. They are, in fact, by far the loftiest of all clouds, occupying an ethereal region of extreme cold five or six miles above the earth. It is believed that they are composed sometimes of needles of ice; sometimes of globules of ice, and sometimes of globules of water which is far below the freezing point. Mares' tails are supposed to be overflow clouds from cyclonic storms. They flow out from over the top of such great atmospheric whirls, and thus they are the first evidence seen of an approaching cyclonic movement. Along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States they are the forerunners of storms coming up the coast. When they are observed it is time for mariners to look out. The mares' tails are known technically as "cirrus" clouds. Belief as to their great height was verified by the balloonist Glaisher, who, when 37,000 feet above the soil of England, saw a feathery network far above him. SCIENTIFIC FORECASTING OF WEATHER. The first attempt at scientific forecasting of the weather was the result of a storm, which, during the Crimean War, November 14, 1854, almost destroyed the fleets of France and England. As a storm had raged several days earlier in France, Vaillant, the French minister of war, directed that investigations be made to see if the two storms were the same, and if the progress of the disturbances could have been foretold It was demonstrated that the two were in reality one storm and that its path Icould have been ascertained and the fleet forewarned in ample time to reach safety. HOW TIDES PREDICT STORMS. Fresh interest has recently been developed in the fact that West Indian hurricanes, and other great storms at sea, frequently produce a remarkable effect upon the tides along neighboring coasts. When a tempest is approaching, or passing out on the ocean, the tides are noticeably higher than usual, as if the water had been driven in a vast wave before the storm. The influence extends to a great distance from the cyclonic storm centre, so that the possibility exists of foretelling the approach of a dangerous hurricane by means of indications furnished by tide gauges situated far away from the place then occupied by the whirling winds. The fact that the tidal wave outstrips the advancing storm shows how extremely sensitive the surface of the sea is to changes of pressure brought to bear upon it by the never-resting atmosphere. WEATHER WISDOM. Sunset Colors.-A gray, lowering sunset, or one where the sky is green or yellowish-green, indicates rain. A red sunrise, with clouds lowering later in the morning, aiso indicates rain. A halo oc Halo (Sun-Dogs).-By halo is meant the large circles, or part of circles, about the sun or moon. curring after fine weather indicates a storm. Corona.-By corona is meant the small colored circles frequently seen around the sun or moon. A corona growing smaller indicates rain; growing larger, fair weather. Rainbows.--A morning rainbow is regarded as a sign. of rain; an evening rainbow, of fair weather. Sky Colors. A deep blue color of the sky, even when seen through clouds, indicates fair weather; a growing whiteness an approaching storm. Fogs.-Fogs indicate settled weather. A morning fog usually breaks away before noon. Visibility.-Unusual clearness of the atmosphere, unusual brightness or twinkling of the stars, indicates rain. Clouds. In observing clouds one must distinguish their textures, motions and outlines. First order, Cirrus, frequently called "mares' tails." They appear at a greater elevation than other forms of clouds, and are marked by their light texture, fibrous and sundered as in the mare's tail, or interlacing as in the far spreading white cloud which produces the halo. Small, regularly formed groups of these clouds are frequently seen in fair and settled weather. The Cirri are also the clouds on the |