On (he Geology of IjOcIi Leven. 1 15 



my opinion of the galvanic connexion of these districts, and made 

 me resolve to watch the various states and appearance of the 

 water, and, from the shrewd accuracy of George Braid's former 

 remarks, to consult him on all occasions. What I have now to 

 state, has confirmed me in the full belief of the existence of this 

 extended stratification of galvanizing minerals. 



.Midsummer 1817, a water-spouc fell near the town of Dun- 

 fermline, which, with the consequent rains that fell in the 

 surrounding country, did considerable dai;iage. This might or 

 might not be connected with the shock of the earthquake felt 

 about the same time in the north. No rain of any consequence 

 fell here, nor near Loch Leven : notwithstanding, that evenin^^ 

 and all the dtly following a burst of muddy water was driven 

 from the Loch, bearing all the characteristic marks of August 

 1810. We noted the circumstance, and the result confirmed 

 our conjectures. 



Again, iu November 1818, the water presented a similar ap- 

 pearance with the two precethng years. We expected accdunts 

 of an earthquake, and were confirmed by the arrival of the post 

 from the north. 



In October last, when I mentioned that the waters from the 

 lake indicated an internal commotion, but darker in the colour 

 than usual on former occasions, although no shock was felt that 

 l',as been heard of, still I am perfectly satisfied it was the partial 

 working of the subsequent shock at Comrie. I did not consider 

 the circumstance of the eels escaping from the lake as any proof 

 of an internal agitation, as that was the natural season of their 

 emigration from the fresh waters to the sea. But the circum- 

 stance of their all at one time starting, or being driven en masse 

 from the lake, is an event in their history that the oldest eel- 

 fislier on the Leven does not remember. In three successive 

 nights (for they only run in the dark ; as soon as Light of any 

 kind appears they burrow in the mud, or under stones, or the 

 banks of the river) upwards of twelve thousand eels were taken, 

 manyofthem from eight to ten pounds apiece, but generally weigli- 

 ing from half a pound to four and five pounds each. None were got 

 after this, except a few straggling dozens that may have burrowed 

 deeper in the mud than the rest, or lodged in some of the deep 

 pools in the serpentine turnings of t!>e river betwixt the lake and 

 the fisinng-ground. This must have been cotmected witii the 

 eartlujuake that followed in November last. On the afternoon 

 of the 2!Jih of that month I was standing at the top of the dryr' 

 ing-Ioft stair, looking into the river, which was quite clean and 

 clear at the time, when all of a sudden it came down hlicd with 

 mud. I turned round to see if there was any discharge horn En- 

 H 2 jicrlly 



