ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY. 409 



which occurred in the early part of the same year in Calabria and Iceland. 

 The harvests of the year did not in any way appear to be affected by it. 



DUST STORMS, AND THE " SIMOON " OF INDIA. 



At a recent meeting of the British Meteorological Society, Dr. H. Cook, in 

 a paper on " Dust Storms, Dust Columns, and the Simoon, or Poisonous 

 "\Vind of India," remarked that there are certain days in which, however 

 hard and violently the wind may blow, little or no dust accompanies it; 

 whilst at other times every little puff of air or current of wind raises up and 

 carries with it clouds of dust; and at these times the individual particles of 

 sand appear to be in such an electrified condition that they are even ready 

 to repel each other, and are, consequently, disturbed from their position and 

 carried up into the air with the slightest current. 



To so great an extent does this sometimes exist, that the atmosphere is 

 positively filled with dust, and, when accompanied by a strong wind, noth- 

 ing is visible at a few yards, and the sun at noonday is obscured. This con- 

 dition of the atmosphere is evidently accumulative. It increases by degrees 

 until the climax is reached, when, after a certain time, usually about twenty- 

 four hours, the atmosphere is cleared and equanimity is restored. 



Dust columns appear under a similar condition of electrical disturbance or 

 intensity. On calm, quiet days, when hardly a breath of air is stirring, and 

 the sun pours down his heating rays with full force, little circular eddies are 

 seen to arise in the atmosphere, near the surface of the ground. These 

 increase in force and diameter, and usually remain stationary for some time, 

 and then sweep away across the country at great speed; and ultimately 

 lose gradually their velocity, dissolve, and disappear. 



The author had seen, in the Valley of Murgochow, which is only a few 

 miles across, and surrounded by high hills, on a cfhy when not a breath of 

 air stirred, twenty of these columns. These seldom changed their position, 

 or but slowly moved across the level tract, and they never interfered with 

 each other. 



The author then spoke of the simoon, that deadly wind which occasion- 

 ally visits the deserts of Cutchee and Upper Sind, which is sudden, and 

 singularly fatal in its occurrence, invisible, intangible, and mysterious. Its 

 nature is alike unknown (as far as the author is aware) to the Avild, untutored 

 inhabitant of the country it frequents, as to the European man of science; 

 its effects only are visible. Its presence is made known in the sudden 

 extinction of life, whether animal or vegetable, over which its influence has 

 extended. The author gives the results of his information respecting the 

 simoon, as follows : 



1. It is sudden in its attack. 2. It is sometimes preceded by a cold current 

 of air. 3. It occurs in the hot months (usually June and July). 4. It takes 

 place by night as well as by day. 5. Its course is straight and defined. 

 6 Its passage leaves a narrow, " knife-like" tract. 7. It burns up or destroys 

 the vitality of animal and vegetable existence in its path. 8. It is attended 

 by a well-marked sulphurous odor. 9. It is described as being like the blast 

 of a furnace, and the current of air in which it passes is greatly heated. 10. It 

 is not accompanied by dust, thunder, or lightning. 



The author concluded his paper by asking, If, then, it be neither a phase 

 of sun-stroke, lightning, malaria, nor miasmata in a concentrated form, what 

 is it, or to what is it to be referred ? 



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