Although 30 the old philosophers say that Eurus is warm and dry, and Zephyrus warm and wet, and that Boreas is cold and dry, and Auster cold and wet, some of the doctors declare that neither Zephyrus or Auster are so, but that Zephyrus is cold and wet, and Auster warm and wet; nor do I know whether they said so with reference to the general nature of the winds, or with reference to the nature of the winds in certain countries, since we perceive a difference in the winds in various countries, because Eurus and Zephyrus are wet in some countries, and dry in others; however, I shall relate the general certain nature of all the winds.
When the air has been heated by the sun it expands and becoming extended, dilates, and a black dark vapour rises from the sea up into the air and is converted into a cloud above, and, when that mist comes in contact with the cold air above it suddenly contracts, which causes it to flow and dissolve, and converts it into rain. Moreover, when that sea vapour and the air come in contact with each other above in the warm dry atmosphere, and both together are drawn up to the frost region or to the domain of cold, they there become contracted and remain in the atmosphere. It is the nature of the warm air and that of the cold region to be opposed to each other, and they do not endure to remain in the same place, and, consequently, the cold space drives out the air, and being continually expelled it runs from place to place setting the atmosphere in motion. That motion of the air is the wind, and the greater the cause whence the motion arises, the greater the wind. Another cause of wind: When a battle or conflict is being fought by large hosts and vast troops,
If you wish to prove clearly this aforementioned matter concerning the rising of the wind into the cold air after it has been heated, take a basin and put water into it to a depth of two or three inches, and place an empty glass vessel in it, and leave them there during the night until morning in some cool place; and in the morning you will find that vessel full of cold condensed air. Turn it mouth downwards in the water which is in the basin, and place them both in some place exposed to the heat of the sun, when it has risen; and when the condensed air in the glass becomes heated, it expands and dilates, and spreads and seeks a larger space, and since it has no way of escape except through the mouth of the vessel down into the water, it goes down into the water, and lifts it up to the mouth of the basin. It appears then like the full tide, gradually growing until, sometimes, it overflows the basin. It is that which proves that the air which was in the aforesaid vessel expands and dilates. Leave it so again until the following night, and as the heat of the day departs, and the cold of the night comes, that cold will collect the air that was in the same vessel into its own vessel again, and will condense it there and the water will fall into its own place again. Thus, since that small quantity of air becomes so much dilated, it is certain that the whole atmosphere becomes greatly dilated or portion of it in its own sphere (?)31.