1817.) On Miik. 217 
time when seafaring men, and others accustomed to notice atmos- 
pheric phenomena, will confidently anticipate weather of a different 
kind. On the 17th of July last there was a plumose cloud at seven 
in the evening ; the barometer began to fall soon afterwards; rain 
«came on in the night; and we had not a fair day for a week. On 
Aug. 14 there was a similar appearance at four in the morning ; rain 
came on in the course of the day, and continued with only occa- 
sional interruptions for four days. 
II. On the Nomenclature of Clouds. 
It puzzles me to conjecture what benefit could accrue to meteo- 
rology from a relapse into the barbarous language of our Teutonic 
ancestors. It has hitherto heen generally assigned as one good 
reason for cultivating an acquaintance with the languages of Greece 
and Rome that they furnish the materials out of which scientific 
words may be so coined as to pass current in all countries. But if 
the terminology of every branch of knowledge is to be formed out 
of a dialect peculiar to itself, the labourers in the temple of science 
may be as numerous, as zealous, and as enterprising, as those of 
the Tower of Babel, but their toil will be rendered equally abortive. 
by a confusion of tongues. 
OT. On Milk. 
Professor Berzelius has committed some flagrant mistakes in his 
statement of the constituents of milk,* which has been followed by 
Dr. Henry,t and (as I suppose from his reference) by yourself. 
You will observe that the proportion of sugar is to the cheese as 35 
to 25. Again, in cream there is said to be nearly as much sugar as 
butter. The proportion of water is excessively too great. Indeed, 
the whole is at first sight so very absurd, that the mistake would 
hardly seem to need pointing out. However, it is more easily dis- 
covered than corrected ; yet.a good standard of milk is much to be 
desired. If an index expurgatorius of chemistry should ever be 
published, I know of no article. which would better deserve atten- 
tion than this very useful animal product. 
IV. 
Inclosed is a tabular view of results (see Art. VI.) obtained from a 
meteorological journal kept at Lancaster by my friend Mr. John 
Heaton. ‘The observations were made twice a day, about nine o’clock, 
with great correctness and regularity on good instruments from Mr. 
Newman. Mr. Heaton has not noted the quantity of rain; but 
this has been done by two other observers, as you will learn from 
the inclosed paragraphs taken from the Lancaster Gazette of the 
4th inst. The fact that less rain has fallen during 1816 than on an 
* Med, Chir, Trans. iii. 272, et seq. 
+ Henry’s Elements of Chemistry, 17th edit, ii, 338, 
