Mr Lavvson on the Trade- Winds of Barbadoes. 385 



wind passed south, the first portions of air would meet with 

 others moving slower, which would impede their onward pro- 

 gress, and afterwards, the lower portions having their motion 

 checked by friction on the earth's surface, those which follow- 

 ed would at length glide over them (54), and thus form a 

 strong NE. current at some elevation ; that being protected 

 from its influence by the stiller air resting immediately on 

 the ground, there not being time for the latter to become af- 

 fected until the central edge of the NE. current had moved 

 to the westward, after which the wind could no longer be 

 felt from the NE. 



86. Such was the case at St Vincent. A gentleman 

 named Simmons, who resided on the east coast of this island 

 at its centre, having ridden out at daylight (about 5 a.m. at 

 this season), saw a cloud to the north of him, so threatening 

 in appearance, that he had never seen any so alarming dur- 

 ing his long residence in the tropics.* At this hour the 

 wind, at the north of St Lucia, was nearly N. and blowing 

 hard. When the hurricane did commence at St Vincent, it 

 had nearly attained its greatest force at St Lucia, but was 

 still north-easterly, so that though the storm was raging at 

 no 'great distance to the north, it did not appear at St 

 Vincent for several hours after, and not until there was suf- 

 ficient time for tlie central margin of the NE. current to have 

 moved to the westward, so as to permit that from the NW. 

 being directed downwards (60). 



On the Beneficent Distribution of the Sense of Pain. By 

 Mr G. A. RoWELL. Communicated by the Author, t 



Having had, in my youth, an aversion to animal food, from 

 an idea that it was cruel to destroy life for the purpose of ob- 

 taining it, I have been led by that feeling, and a few rather 

 extraordinary circumstances which have come under my no- 

 tice, to pay some attention to the effects produced by injuries 

 to various animals ; which investigation has caused such a 



* Reid, p. 27. 



t Head before the Ashmolean Society of Oxford, 3d May 1847, 



