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during his boyhood, when, having witnessed the operations of a 

 dowser, he picked up the twig and found he could use it. He 

 has several children, to none of whom has he transmitted his 

 power. He finds a hazel twig gives the best results, and a 

 hawthorn one next, but has no idea why ; box, elder, and plane 

 will not do at all. He feels a sensation in his arms similar to 

 that produced by a very slight electric shock when the rod is 

 agitated by the presence of water or metal, and the degree of 

 force in the sensation enables him to say whether the spring is 

 a strong or a weak one, and, usually, to predicate the depth 

 within a few feet. A twig of some sort is necessary for the 

 discovery of water under-ground, but when standing over a 

 strong stream above-ground he feels a slight tingling sensation, 

 although he may not have the rod. I particularly enquired of 

 him whether the power was influenced in any way by the state 

 of his health. He said that when he had a bad cold or was other- 

 wise indisposed, he felt an exhaustion after using the rod, such 

 as he would not experience at other times. As he himself put 

 it, " It seemed to take more out of him then." A too-prolonged 

 use of the rod at any time was apt to produce sleeplessness. 

 Ho will undertake to find running, but not stagnant, water. He 

 does not confine himself to one particular rod, but usually goes 

 to the nearest hedge and cuts one when he wants to use it. His 

 exj)erience leads him to believe that the power is more frequently 

 to be met with in women than men. This view has been 

 corroborated by my own investigations in other directions. On 

 one occasion, myself and about a dozen other persons, who were 

 observing Mullins when he was dowsing, all tried the rod at two or 

 three spots where, in Mullins' hands, it indicated the presence of 

 water, and the only person with whom the rod moved was a lady. 

 I may say that I do not attach any special importance to 

 the mere movement of the rod in the hands of a diviner, as 

 very similar motions can be produced by voluntary muscular 

 contractions. I had evidence of this on the part of a friend, in 



