4-00 Qiieries and Answers. 



Luminous Appearance on the Ears of a Horse, (p. HI.) — When we 

 cannot find a satisfactory solution for any puzzling occurrence which we 

 are desirous of investigating, perhaps; the best? way is to endeavour to 

 accumulate a series of facts of the same kind. Having met with one or 

 two nearly similar to those of your correspondent, S. T. of Stoke-Ferry 

 (p. 111.), and, like him, having hitherto been unable to light upon a satis- 

 factory reason for them, I propose to join stocks with him for the purpose 

 of drawing more attention. 



Some years, ago, I was riding from Edinburgh : it was (as I happen to 

 recollect) on the 12th of November, and in the evening. There had been, 

 since past midday, a succession of those stormy clouds, driven by a 

 westerly wind, which are common at that season. Perhaps the wind was 

 a point or two to the north of west, if it makes arty difference, and during 

 the intervals there was always a comparative calm or slackening of the 

 wind. I was once taken byjone of J;hef?e storm-clouds about Nether 

 Libberton, on the Dalkeith roaid. Like S. T., I used the spur a little; and, 

 having been a yeoman for many years, I was unconsciously holding a small 

 rattan cane somewhat after the mode of" carry swords." Roused by the 

 velocity of the wind, and the darkness of the passing cloud, ] naturally 

 turned my eyes to the right, and was not a little surprised to observe a pale 

 clear flame, in form like that of a small candle^ playing upon the point of 

 the cane. Taking it for granted, forthwith, that a stream of electricity, 

 attracted by the cane, was passing from the cloud through my body, and 

 through the horse, into the ground, I instantly turned it downwards. At 

 the time I did not wait to consider that I was in the hollow of the valley 

 between one of the highest of the Pentlands and Arthur's Seat, and that 

 there were higher objects than myself, and scattered trees in the neigh- 

 bourhood far more likely to act upon the cloud, or be expos^dj to ,|t^ vfr 

 fluence. r ^ . 



' A short time after this liappened, I mentioned the circumstance 6i t1\e 

 flame to a friend. He told me, in return, that once, when riding betweei| 

 jPavvick and Jedburgh, during a dark and stormy night, he was greatly 

 .annoyed, for most part of the way, by two flames, like candles, that appeared 

 to issue from his horse's ears. He certainly is'as little likely to be affected 

 Jby superstition as most men ; but never before having heard of such a cir- 

 cumstance, and the idea of electricity not then occurring to his mind, he 

 jcould not help thinking that Will o' the wisp and he, hoping it was nothing 

 worse, had got into rather too close intimacy. < • ii m 



" I beg to join my request to that of S. T. for a satisfactory explanation, 

 pr more facts. — M^. Z/. Selkirkshire, Jan. 30. 1832. • -hO - 



The Luminous Appearance on the Ears of a Horse (p. 11 1. y^bn^ the 

 Imiinous Track of the Scolopendra electrica. — Your correspondent S. T« 

 has very accurately described a phenomenon, which may be often seen oa 

 k gravel walk upon a moist autumnal evening. It arises from something 

 of a slimy nature emitted by the Scolopendra electrica" [see a not very' 

 pharacteristic figure, Vol. II. p. 406.], (one of the animals vulgarly called 

 centipedes), which is luminous. As the animal crawls, it leaves a long train 

 of phosphoric light behind it on the ground, which is often mistaken for the 

 presence of a glow-worm. In all probability, one of these animals had 

 recently crawled over the head of the horse, or rather, might be still 

 crawling there, and ypur correspondent unconsciously watching its pro4 

 gress. — J^. 5. if. Cambridge, Feb. 1^.1832. .?^ 



A farther notice of the habits of the ^Scolopendra electrica <)Cicm"S inv 

 the present^ Number, pi 36^. ^J. D. ' — ! ^ « 



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