MB, BAlllD 0:\ XilE SEA-TREE. 1L7 



its stalk rising out of a bank of " cirro-stratus," its feathery or arbore- 

 scent summit flickering' aloft and pointed towards the wind, and 

 immediately the meteorologist acquainted with its appearance, foretells 

 a change. I have observed this cloud in many different parts of the 

 world, and I have watched with great interest the change from dry to 

 wet weather take place, and found the same change produced between 

 the tropics, under the equator, in the burning climate of India, in the 

 cooler latitudes of a southern zone, as well as in our northern clime, in 

 the midst of the trackless ocean, as well as on land in our own county 

 of Berwick. From a meteorological journal I kept some years ago, 

 during a period of fifteen months in various parts of the world, I could 

 produce many instances to prove the connexion which seems to exist 

 between the appearance of this cloud, the "sea-tree," and wet 

 weather. T could shew it uninfluenced by climate, and independent of 

 previous weather — and producing the same effects when isolated from 

 other clouds, as when connected with, or rising out of "cirro- 

 stratus." — I shall, however, select the notice of a cloxid of this 

 description as seen very lately in Berwickshire, and the appearances 

 of which were marked at the time. The unusual diy weather which 

 has prevailed this last summer, renders perhaps the appearance of this 

 cloud and the results more remarkable than it would have been, had 

 the weather been wet and showery. 



On the 3d of September, during a warm day, and after some con- 

 tinuance of dry weather, the prevailing clouds being "cumuli," I 

 observed a bank of " cirro-stratus " hanging over the northern horizon, 

 but at some considerable height from the horizon. The wind was very 

 gentle and almost due south. "When looking up some little time after 

 to the " cirro-stratus," I observed, near the eastern part of the bank, 

 two distinct "sea-trees" shooting out of it; their stalks, as it were, 

 rising out of its substance, but at the same time distinguished from 

 the body of the cloud by being darker in colovir. They shot up into 

 the sky, and their arborescent heads pointed and waved in the direc- 

 tion from which the wind was blowing. Whilst the " cirro-stratus " 

 moved northwards with the breeze, the sea-trees rose up against it, 

 and some less well defined clouds of the same description appeared 

 rising out of the bank at its western portion also. These threatening 

 clouds continued visible for some time, but gradually disappeared. As 

 the afternoon wore on, however, "cirrus and cirro-stratus " blended, 

 the one passing into the other, took possession of the sky, and shewed 

 that some change in the atmosphere was already going on. About 

 seven p.ir. this stratum of cloud had partly disajDpeared, and I did not 

 observe the appearance of the sk}' again that evening, which, however, 

 was rather cold and chilly. In the morning, however, about six or 

 seven o'clock, the sky was again seen to be covered with a pretty 

 dense stratum of " cirro-stratus." " Cimiuli " were mixed with it — 

 the wind began to whistle— the stratum of cloud became denser — and 



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