METEOROLOGY. 



425 



DISPERSION OF A CLOUD BY AN ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE. 



FROM D. W. NAILL, OF SAM S CREEK, MARYLAND. 



The accompanying diagram is intended to illustrate an unusual 

 occurrence, so far as I am informed, an account of which is submitted 

 for your consideration. 



On the 30th July, 1856, a heavy Fig. i. 



storm of rain, with some hail and sharp 

 thunder and lightning, occurred at 6 

 o'clock p. m. 



A second storm of rain came up at T 

 p.m. from the southwest, before which 

 a white cloud of the form represented 

 in fig. 1 was scudding. It was of beau- 

 tiful whiteness as it appeared between 

 the observer and the dark face of the 

 first cloud. It was a conspicuous ob- 

 ject, and I had observed its progress 

 along the face of the Parr Ridge for 

 some two miles, and I should suppose 

 it to have been a mile distant, when a discharge of lightning passed 

 down through it, when it was dis- ^.„ , 



persed or thrown into fragments, as 

 shown in fig. 2. 



Regarding the occurrence as very 

 unusual, I looked at the slight remains 



of the cloud from different positions, to 



satisfy myself that I was not deceived. ^^^W 



Having never observed or heard of 

 such an occurrence before, it has 

 awakened many reflections in my mind 

 in relation to the production of elec- 

 tricity in the clouds, and the offices it 

 performs there, in its amazing power. 



