On the Fall of Stones from the Clouds. 25* 



animal origin, because some of them have presented something^ 

 like the excretions of butterflies. Thus we can scarcely doubt of 

 the red mineral showers which fell in Westphalia in 1543 *, at 

 Lowen in 15G0, and at Embden in 1571. The latter was so 

 extensive, that all the bodies exposed to the air were dyed red to 

 the circumference of ten or twelve leagues. It is also stated that 

 in the year 1653, in Zealand, a similar rain stained every thing 

 red, and finally at Brussells in 1646 a violent rain suddenly 

 fell, when all the waters were died red f. This rain had at first 

 a purple colour, which gradually became yellow ; its taste was 

 sowerish, nearly like that of Spa water, which seems to indicate 

 the presence of carbonate of iron, a substance which doubtless 

 forms the essential part of it. This rain, as well as that which 

 fell at Ulm in 1755, was chemically examined J. 



About the same time, viz. the end of 1755, similar showertv 

 fell in Russia, Suabia, near the Lake of Constance and at. 

 Lucarno in Upper Italy. The sky was darkened during this rain, 

 at Lucarno ; tlie atmosphere became quite red before it came 

 on, and the residue left by it was reddish with an earthy appear- 

 ance. This rain was almost as thick and heavy as snow, as well 

 as that which fell in the mountains of Placentia on the 17th of 

 January 1810. This last, as observed by a great number of per- 

 sons, seemed white at first, then became red after some claps of 

 thunder, and finally became white again. In certain places it 

 was a flesh colour, whereas in others it was of a very deep red ; 

 but it always preserved its colour after having been melted : this 

 fact seems to prove tliat it is upon slender grounds that the colour 

 of these showers has been ascribed to a cat's eye substance like 

 mica, as some have asserted. 



There are too many testimonies in favour of showers of sand 

 having fallen to entitle us to deny them. One was observed at 

 Bagdad in 930 §, and long before it fell the sky was darkened by 



* Ulier Wtinder-rcgf.n, Ulm 1755. This work contains a tietailcd his- 

 tory of all llie similar showers at tiiat time known. We there also find 

 analyses of tlicse showers. 



t rijis wiiter wl;en collected had a sour taste nearly like tiiat of Spa. 

 water. A little vinef;ar poured into it produced a thick red precipitate. 

 When kept some time in well stopped bottles, the water became turbid of 

 itself, and there was precipitated a viscous matter of a purple colour with 

 some whiii-h streaks. On distilling this water we obtained a liquor of a 

 sour and bitter taste. The' taste and smell of the residue wi-re like thosft 

 of turf, which seemed to indicate the existence of orjrMnic mutter. This rain 

 Insted ei!.dit hours : the red colour was very deep when it began to fall^ 

 but afterwards it l<erame clearer. 



t This rain exhibited results analogous to those of the rain which fell at 

 Brussells in 1G4G. The taste of the water was always sourish. The dark 

 or black residue was partly attiurtahlc by the magnet, which proves the 

 existence of iron. Vide Ulwr lViindcr-regeit,V\in lliJi. 



5 Quatreuiiirc, AlimoUm xur I'Ej^t/pe. 



