\yS Remarkable Hall-stornu — Atmospherical Phcenomenon. 



The increased weight is ascribed to the oxidizement of tiie 

 metals during the analysis. As observed bv the author {A7in, 

 de Chim. et de PInjs, xiii. 441) the above stone is remarkable, 

 iiot only from the absence of nickel, but on account of the pro- 

 portions of the other contents, the sulphur and magnesia being 

 much less, and of the alumina and lime greater than usual. The 

 author also suggests that the presence of chrome rather than of 

 nickel should be considered as characteristic of meteoric stones. 



REMARKABLE HAIL-STORM. 



The south-feastern part of the county of Mayo has been visited 

 by one of those awful visitations which occur but very rarely in 

 our happy and temperate climate. Of its devastatins; effects we 

 have the following description and appalling particulars from a 

 respectable gentleman residing in the vicinity of Ballyhannes : 

 — " A shower of ice-stones, accompanied by a tremendous thun- 

 der-storm, fell in this district on the 29th June, and in its course 

 has caused general destruction. Its breadth did not exceed 

 half a mile, which it left a perfect ruin — the potatoe cron cut 

 close to the earth — the flax bruised as in a mill — the corn shat- 

 tered and blasted, never to rise again ! All the windows within 

 its limits are broken — numerous tame and wild fowl killed by it. 

 Some of these stones were fiat, heavy, and as large as a watch ! 

 the greater part of the shape, but of a larger size than a pigeon's 

 egg. I have seen a bog turf penetrated by them as if, bullets 

 had been shot into it. How far this frightful phsenomenoii may 

 have run its course I cannot as yet say — possibly into the Western 

 Sea. — A poor lad, unfortunately bathing, disregarded its terrific 

 approach ; his head is dreadfully cut and injured : his body par- 

 tially quite black, and covered with contusions." 



ATMOSPHERICAL PHiENOMENON. 



One of those very singular and curious phaenomena v.hich are 

 occasionally seen among the Hartz mountains in Hanover, and 

 have once or twice been observed on Souter Fell in Cumberland,, 

 has been seen in Huntingdonshire. About half past four o'clock 

 on Sunday morning, July 16, the sun was shining in a cloudless 

 sky, and the light vapours arising from tb.e river Ouse were ho- 

 vering over a little hill near St. Neot's, when suddenly the vil- 

 lage of Great Paxton, its farm-hoUses, barns, dispersed cottages, 

 trees, and its different gross fields were clearly and distinctly vi- 

 sible in a beautiful aerial picture which extended from east to 

 west about 400 yards. Nothing could exceed the astonishment 

 and admiration of the spectator, as he looked at this surprising 

 phacnomenon from a gentle declivity in an opposite direction at 

 the distance of half a mile, or his regret at its disappearance in 

 about ten minutes. — Cambridge Chronicle, 



