WATER AND IUIN. 113 



the ice, sending forth mineral gas, which combining with tin- 

 in (or animal and vegetable gas in the room) forms water. 



K;imtz's theory, such as it is, is supported by several well 

 known men, but Sir John Herschell applies the Dynamical 

 Theory to it, and because it does not stand the test, he opposes 

 it, but offers no explanation in return. 



Mr. Proctor, in concluding his article, thinks there is no 

 difficulty in explaining the phenomenon, for he has observed 

 that when rain is falling heavily, small specks are seen flitting 

 among them, which could not be caused by the collision of the 

 drops, for they all fall parallel. This, he says, shows rain 

 is generated in the lower as well as the upper strata of atmos- 

 phere ; for these specks are observed to be water. "Why this is 

 so, however, he does not profess to explain. A simple acquain- 

 tance with atomagnetic law will settle the question for ever. 

 The idea that rain drops all fall parallel is not strictly correct, 

 for we have seen them shot out from a cloud (like rays of 

 sunlight), thus indicating that there is a force in the cloud which 

 ejects, as well as forms the rain, when the combination of the 

 gases or materials present, become repellent to it. 



The theory of rain storms is very vague at the present time. 

 Sir John Herschell, in the article we quoted from previously, 

 asks : " Is it in any degree in the power of man to alter the 

 weather ? This he tells us is not so absurd a question as it may 

 appear ; for from the registers of rain falls which are kept all 

 over England, the rain would seem to have a preference for 

 some places more than others. All well wooded districts are 

 observed to have a large yearly rain fall, while waste barren 

 moors are dry in comparison. He also says: "The rain fall 

 over large regions of North America is said to be gradually 



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