prevalent Disorders, Sfc, with Volcanic Emanations. 143 



observations, that the s.w. and w. winds in the south of Eng- 

 land have assumed the character of a trade wind ; the trees, 

 as I have shown in Loudon's Gardeners Magazine (ix. 548.), 

 actually growing, throughout the south of England, from the 

 s.w. so invariably as to become an unfailing guide. [The Rev. 

 W. T. Bree has, in the same volume of the Gard. Mag. 

 (ix. 714.), added his experience of the oak trees in the 

 Isle of Wight being in this case; and has stated, farther, 

 that, even in Warwickshire, in exposed situations, the oak 

 trees show their aversion by turning their heads from that 

 quarter.] The trees in the West Indies grow just in the 

 same way from the east ; and Lieut. Burnes says the trees 

 in Bokhara grow from the north, owing to the prevalent 

 winds there. 



To continue our calendar of 1834. December set in 

 mildly. On the 1st, a heavy thunderstorm, with torrents of 

 rain, was experienced in Ribblesdale. On the 3d, at noon, a 

 rainbow was seen by me, as brilliant as in summer time. 

 On the 5th occurred a brilliant aurora, seen at Alost, near 

 Brussels; and at Dundee (VIII. 96.) on the 4th, 5th, and 6th. 

 On the 6th commenced a furious gale at n.w. at Liverpool, 

 which did great damage, on the 7th, off the north coast of 

 Scotland ; blew till 2 p.m. of that day in the south of England ; 

 and on the 8th, at 1 a.m., came on again, in all its fury, off 

 Aberdeen. On the 9th there was a tremendous thunderstorm 

 at Manchester, some of the hailstones which fell measuring 1\ 

 in. in circumference. On the 10th, the frost was very severe, 

 both in the north and south of England ; on the 12th, a thick 

 fog occurred in the Thames and along the coasts; and on the 

 14th, the weather became warmer. The Giornale del Due 

 Sicilie contains an account of a most extraordinary hurricane 

 at Marsala and its environs, especially Palermo, on Dec. 16. 

 During the 15th, the sky was serene, the sea calm, and the 

 air perfectly tranquil, the night bright and cloudless. But on 

 the 1 6th, at 4 a. m. exactly at the time of full moon, and whilst 

 that luminary was eclipsed, a black spot was seen in the northern 

 horizon, which rapidly enlarged, letting loose a most furious 

 storm. The wind, rain, hail, lightning, and thunder were 

 most terrific. The sea was in awful commotion ; and for more 

 than an hour there fell an immense shower, not of ordinary 

 hailstones, but stones as large as a walnut, of a yellow colour, 

 and extraordinary solidity, which did incalculable damage to 

 the windows and houses ; almost every pane of glass was 

 broken to the east and the north. Trees were broken all over 

 the country ; great quantities of birds were killed, and cattle 

 injured. The fall of projectiles lasted an hour ; and the storm 



