74 Mr D. Milne on Earthquake Shocks felt in Great Britain^ 



vibration was very rapid, and as if running along sharply un- 

 der the floor, making the things shake a little. On the se- 

 cond occasion, there was only a single report, with but a slight 

 movement. I looked at the barometer about five minutes 

 after the shock, and did not find it lower than it had been an 

 hour previously.'"* 



Mr Colquhoun accompanied his letter with some extracts 

 from his Meteorological Register, which prove that the wea- 

 ther, both at and before the time of the shock, was marked 

 by peculiar wetness. These extracts are as follows : 



*' 1840, January W. — Fog all day with some rain. Rain 

 all night. 



*' V2th. — Tremendous gusts of wind from SW. with heavy 

 storms of rain. Some rain fell during the night. 



" \^th. — Thermometer 45° (north aspect). Gloomy all day, 

 with high wind, and some showers from S W. 



" 14^A. — " Thermometer 44°. Fine, clear, mild morning. 

 Towards evening again, showers, with high wind from SW. 



" Ibth. — Warm, oppressive feeling in the air. High SW. 

 wind at 11 a. m. Heavy showers of rain and high wind till 

 evening ; and raiti all night from west. 



*' 16M. — Wind came round to NW. bringing showers of 

 snow on the hills and rain below, p. m. high NW. wind, 

 with storms every now and then. 



" Ylth. — Slight frost in latter part of the night. Fine and 

 clear sunshine all day. Wind from NW. Halo round the 

 moon. Rain came on before midnight. 



" l%th. — A little fresh now on the hills. Wind changed to 

 SW. about 9 p. M., becoming quite muggy and warm ; coming 

 from SW. in terrible gusts, and drenching storms of rain all 

 day, with hardly any cessation. Wind increased in violence 

 till sunset, then lulled for half an hour ; recommenced at 7 p. m. 

 with greater force from nearly due west, and blew almost 

 a hurricane, till 20 minutes before 10, when the first shock 

 took place. Wind unabated, but veering round to the north. 

 Deluges of rain beating against the house all night, but with 

 occasional glimpses of clear moonlight. 



•* 19M. — The gale continues, and is more severe, with 

 heavier storms of rain than we have had this season. 10 a. m. 



