July 21, 1887] 



NA TURE 



271 



similar conclusion has been drawn from South American 

 earthquakes, and also from those which have visited 

 Southern Italy. As soon as the data in the earlier stages 

 of the inquiry began to indicate insulated areas of mini- 

 mum action, they were completely investigated, and 



every effort has been made to secure full data from them. 

 The result has been to show satisfactorily that such was 

 the case. The Appalachian belt south of Middle Penn- 

 sylvania disclosed a few spots where the shaking was 

 considerable, but in the main it was but slightly affected 



until we reach the extreme southern portion of this range, 

 where the shocks begin to be somewhat vigorous, even in 

 the mountains. West and north-west of the range, how- 

 ever, the force of the undulations resumes even more than 

 its normal vigour. In Eastern Kentucky and South- 



Eastern Ohio, the force of the shocks was very considerable, 

 causing general alarm. Chimneys and bricks were shaken 

 down, and the oscillation of the houses was strongly felt. 

 In South-Eastem Ohio, nearly every theatre, lodge, and 

 prayer-meeting, was broken up in confusion. It does not 



