286 Miscellaneous. 
in the various relations of teacher, hospital physician, and friend ;— 
one of whom it may be truly said, that while he was eminently 
conspicuous as a successful and able Professor, he was not less di- 
stinguished by his candour, straightforward conduct, scrupulous 
honour, and unswerving rectitude._J. H. B. 
Dr. J. W. Meigen.—This celebrated entomologist died in his 82nd 
year, on the 11th of last July, at Stolberg, near Aix-la-Chapelle.— 
Bot. Zeitung, Sept. 12. d 
SHOWER OF DUST AT ORKNEY. 
Sandwick Manse, Sept. 19, 1845. 
On the morning of the 3rd inst. there was a fall of dust resem- 
bling Roman cement over all Orkney, and probably Jutland also; 
at least it extended as far as Lerwick, the capital of these islands, as 
it fell on the sails of a French sloop-of-war which was in that bay at 
the time ; and by all the intelligent people here as well as there, it 
is thought to be of volcanic origin, and to be the produce of a burn- 
ing mountain in Iceland. 
We were disposed to ascribe it to Mount Hecla then, but the 
French officers and savans, who had just returned from Iceland, think 
it more probable that it is from another mountain, which, though 
not so celebrated as Hecla, was threatening an eruption when they 
left that country. I have not yet heard of its extending to other 
counties in Scotland, but think there is little doubt of the fall of 
some on the N.E. of Caithness, whether observed or not. Some 
people in different parts of Orkney had clothes out bleaching on the 
preceding night, and they were not a little distressed to find them 
covered with the dust next morning; but it seemed so much like 
common dust from a road, that they were more disposed to blame 
their neighbours for the trick than Hecla, or any of its neighbours. 
I am told that it was observed floating on the surface of the sea that 
morning, and it could be collected from flag-stones, glass, or leaves 
of cabbage, and other plants, for some days after. I do not know 
the duration of the fall, but a medical man who had occasion to be 
out between 3 and 4 o'clock that morning was much distressed with 
the dust in his eyes and on his face, which could not have arisen from 
the ground, as it was too wet at the time; and it also fell on board 
of ships and fishing-boats, much to the annoyance of the fishermen. 
Iceland lies about 500 miles N.W. of this, and the wind for some 
days previous had been from that quarter. This may appear a long 
way for the ashes to be carried through the air, but such cases are 
not unprecedented, and Dr. Barry, in his ‘ History of Orkney,’ men- 
tions a similar occurrence about eighty years ago, which was known 
by the name of ‘‘ the black snow.” ‘The weather for several days 
before was fine ; the barometer being high and steady, about 30°27, 
and the daily average height of the thermometer from 57 to 52. 
Some people observed a sulphureous smell in the atmosphere a few 
days before. C. Clouston. 
