HURDLES, in husbandry, certain frames, made either of split timber, or of rods wattled together, to serve for gates in inclosures, or to make sheep-folds. &c. HURRICANE, a furious storm of wind, owing to a contrariety of winds. See article WIND and WHIRLWIND. Hurricanes are frequent in the West dies, where they make terrible ravages, by rooting up trees, destroying houses ing, and the like. The natives, and shipp it is said, can foretell hurricanes by the following prognostics : 1. All hurricanes happen either on the day of the full, change, or quarter of the moon. 2. From the unusual redness of the sun, the great stillness, and at the same time, turbulence of the skies, swelling of the sea, and the like,happening at the change of the moon, they conclude there will be a hurricane next full-moon ; and if the same signs be observed on the full moon, they may ex pect one next new moon. As to the cause
of hurricanes, they undoubtedly arise from the violent struggle of two oppo site winds. Now as the wind betwixt the tropics is generally easterly, and up on the sun's going back from the northern tropic the western winds pour down with violence upon those parts, the opposition of these contrary winds cannot fail to produce a hurricane. Hurricanes shift not through all the points of the compass, but begin Aways with a north wind, veer to the east, and then cease ; and their shifting between these two points is so sudden and violent, that it is impossible for any ship to veer with it ; whence it happens that the sails are carried away, yards and all, and sometimes the masts Themselves wreathed round like an osier.