METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 427 
from the earth, are bound in by the frost, and not suffered to 
escape till released by the thaw. No wonder then that the 
surface is all ina float; since the quantity of moisture by evapo- 
ration that arises daily from every acre of ground is astonishing. 
— WHITE. 
FROZEN SLEET. 
January 20. Mr. H.’s man says that he caught this day in a lane 
near Hackwood park, many rooks, which, attempting to fly, fell 
from the trees with their wings frozen together by the sleet, that 
froze as it fell. Theie were, he affirms, many dozen so disabled. 
—WHITE. 
MIST, CALLED LONDON SMOKE. 
This is a blue mist which has somewhat the smell of coal smoke, 
and as it always comes to us with a N.E. wind, is supposed to come 
from London. It has a strong smell, and is supposed to occasion 
blights. When such mists appear they are usually followed by dry 
weather.— WHITE. 
REFLECTION OF FOG 
When people wa!k in a deep white fog by night with a lanthorn, 
if they will turn their backs to the light, they will see their shades 
impressed on the fog in rude gigantic proportions. This phenome- 
non seems not tc have been attended to, but implies the great 
density of the meteor at that juncture.—WHITE. 
HONEY-DEW.* 
June 4, 1783. Fast honey-dews this week. The reason of these 
seem to be, that in hot days the effluvia of flowers are drawn up by 
a brisk evaporation, and then in the night fall down with the dews 
with which they are entangled. 
* Honey-dew is now ascertained to be the excrement of various species of aphides, and 
would be extremely injurious to the tree or plant, were it always so prevalent as in some 
very warm seasons. This may be observed whenever these insects have been allowed to 
Lecome too abundant in the green-house, or other plant-structures. The substance acts as 
a varnish, shutting up the pores of the leaves or stem. It is extremely sweet to the taste, 
and therefore attracts flies, and, where itis exceedingly abundant, also bees, which we rather 
think employ it as they would sugar. 
