A. No, not of _themselves_; but because _cold_ weather is generally either _dry_, or _rough with north-east winds_, therefore the mercury _rises_ in cold weather; and because warm weather is often _moist_ or _fanned by south-west winds_, therefore, the mercury sinks. Q. _Why is the mercury of a barometer LOWER in the TORRID than in the FRIGID zones?_ A. Because the warm air of the torrid zone contains much more _vapour_ than the condensed air of the frigid zone; and the _moister_ the air, the _less is its pressure_. Q. _In what MONTHS is the barometer HIGHEST?_ A. In May and August; next to these, in June, March, September, and April. Q. _In what MONTHS is the barometer LOWEST?_ A. In November and February; then in October, July, December, and January. Q. _What are the DRIEST months?_ A. March and June; then May and August; then April and November. Q. _What are the WETTEST months?_ A. October and February; then July and September; then January and December. Q. _Why is there LESS wet from MARCH to AUGUST, than there is from August to March?_ A. Because the _heat is constantly increasing_; and the capacity of the air to absorb and retain moisture increases likewise. Q. _Why is there MORE wet from AUGUST to MARCH, than there is from March to August?_ A. Because the _heat is constantly decreasing_, and the capacity of the air to retain moisture decreases also; so that (although it often rains) yet the air is always on the point of saturation. Q. _Why does the mercury of a barometer RISE in a FROST?_ A. Because frost _condenses the air_; and condensed air is heavier than _rarefied_ air. Q. _Why does the mercury of a barometer FALL in a THAW?_ A. Because the air is both _warmer_ (or more rarefied), and also filled with _vapour_. Q. _What does a SUDDEN rise or fall of the barometer indicate?_ A. If the _rise_ be sudden, fine weather will not continue long: If the _fall_ be sudden, foul weather will not continue long. Q. _What sort of weather may we expect if the barometer be very FLUCTUATING?_ A. If the mercury fluctuates much, the weather will be very _changeable and unsettled_. The FALL of the barometer. In very _hot_ weather, the fall of the mercury denotes _thunder_. Except in very hot weather, the sudden falling of the barometer denotes high wind. In _frosty_ weather, the fall of the barometer denotes _thaw_. If _wet_ weather happens _soon_ after the fall of the barometer, expect but _little_ of it. In _wet_ weather if the barometer falls, expect much wet. In _fair_ weather, if the barometer falls much and _remains_ low, expect much wet in a few days, and probably _wind_. N. B. The barometer sinks lowest of all for wind and rain together, next to that for wind (except it be an east or north-east wind). * * * * * The RISE of the barometer. In _winter_ the rise of the barometer presages _frost_. In _frosty_ weather, the rise of the barometer presages _snow_.