289 



not owing to the action of the wind, Mr. Desor mentioned that he 

 saw them persisting during a strong surf; the large waves in 

 those parts were smooth, whilst the general surface was wrinkled 

 at large. 



Prof. Wyman referred to a story, current in the newspapers, 

 that there had recently been a shower of flesh and blood in 

 Virginia. The substances in question fell in a field, and were 

 distributed over a surface of twenty-five feet in extent. It was 

 noticed by the observers that a cloud was passing over head at 

 the time, and it was thought that a whirlwind might explain the 

 occurrence. Dr. Johnson, of Richmond, in examining with the 

 microscope the substances dropped, pronounced them fragments 

 of fish. Specimens in Prof. Wyman's possession were in the 

 form of shreds, the largest being about one ounce in weight. 

 They resembled, he said, very much the contents of the 

 stomachs of Turkey Buzzards, as he had examined them at 

 Richmond, and he had no doubt this was the source from which 

 they were derived. These birds are in the habit of gorging to 

 excess, and frequently are so embarrassed in their movements 

 by the quantity they have eaten as to be compelled to throw up 

 from their crops a portion of food to lighten themselves. No 

 mention, however, had been made of any of these birds having 

 been flying over at the time the flesh fell ; it was a circumstance 

 that would hardly have attracted notice. 



Dr. Gould said he had no doubt that Prof. Wyman's solu- 

 tion was correct. But he thought there was no question that 

 solid substances, even living animals, were sometimes raised and 

 transported to a considerable distance by whirlwinds. He men- 

 tioned that four years since a squid of a rare species was seen 

 to fall on the Tremont road, near Boston, during a heavy thun- 

 der shower, and was brought to him, still living, by the gentleman 

 who saw it fall. The specimen is in the cabinet of the Society. 



Other similar instances were quoted by various gentlemen, 

 such as the fall of small fishes, toads, &;c. 



Prof. Wyman remarked that there was nothing in the cloud 

 passing during the " shower of flesh and blood " to make a 

 whirlwind the probable source of it. 



Mr. Abbot said that he thought bodies raised by whirlwinds 

 might be carried to a considerable distance by clouds through the 



PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H. 19 NOVEMBER, 1S50. 



