72 Remarkable effects of Lightning observed in a Farm House. 



" The efflorescence [the stains previously adverted to] was on each side 

 of this perpendicular wire. In some places it extended more than a foot 

 from the wire. Tue deposit seemed to vary in thickness according to the 

 surface on which it was deposited. There was none on the plaster on the 

 roof. It was thinnest upon the wall-paper, and thickest upon the wood 

 facing of the door.* This last exhibited various colours. On the thickest 

 part it appeared quite black ; where there was only a slight film, it was 

 green or yellow. * * 



"I may mention that the thunder-storm was that of the 11th of August 

 last. It passed over most of Scotland, and has rarely been surpassed for 

 terrific grandeur, — at least beyond the tropics. It commenced about 9 

 o'clock, P.M., and in the course of an hour it seemed to die away alto- 

 gether. The peals became very faint, and the intervals between the 

 flashes and the reports very great, when all at once a terrific crashing 

 peal was heard, which did the damage. The storm ceased with this peal. 

 " The electricity must have been conducted along the lead on the ridge 

 of the house, and have diverged into three streams ; one down through 

 the roof, and the two others along the roof to the chimneys. One of these 

 appears to have struck a large stone out from the chimney, and to have 

 been conducted down the chimney to the kitchen, where it left traces upon 

 the floor. It had been washed over before I saw it, but stiU the traces 

 were visible on the Arbroath flags. The stains were of a lighter tint 

 than the stone, and the general appearance was as if a pail of some light- 

 coloured fluid had been dashed over the floor, so as to produce various 

 distinct streams. All along tlie course of the discharge, and particularly 

 in the neighbourhood of the bell-wires, there were small holes in the wall 

 about an inch deep, like the marks that might be made by a finger in 

 soft plaster. 



" Most of the windows were shattered, and all the fragments of glass 

 were on the outside. I suppose this must be accounted for by the expan- 

 sion of the air within the house. 



" The window-blind of the staircase, which was down at the time, was 

 riddled, as if with small shot. The diameter of the space so riddled was 

 about a foot. On minute examination I found that the holes were not 

 such as could readily be made by a pointed instrument or a pellet. They 

 were angular, the cloth being torn along both the warp and the woof. 



" The house was shattered from top to bottom. Two of the serving 

 maids received a positive shock, but soon recovered. A strong smell of 

 what was supposed to be sulphur was perceived throughout the house, but 

 particularly in the bed-room in which the efiects I described before took 

 place." 



The following paper was also read : — 



• These remarkable facts are probably connected with the conducting powers of 

 the different surfaces. The plaster on the roof is not so good a conductor as the 

 wall-paper, with its pigments; and the painted wood is probably a better conductor 

 than either.— W. T. 



