130 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1757. 



rubbing glass and wax together, the glass accumulated on its surface the identical 

 aether that the wax lost. And if this opposition of the electricity of glass and 

 wax be established, it contributes to demonstrate the fallacy of Mr. Eeles's ex- 

 periments. 



But what alone would entirely destroy this electric hypothesis, is, that from 

 the experiments of Mr. Franklin and others, the clouds are sometimes found to 

 be electrized plus, sometimes minus, and sometimes manifest no signs of elec- 

 tricity at all. Whence to say an accumulation of electric aether supports these 

 clouds, seems an assertion built on a very unstable foundation, whose whole 

 superstructure may well enough be termed an air-built castle, the baseless fabric 

 of a vision. Add to this, that "Mr. Eeles tells us, that he has passed through 

 clouds resting on the sides of mountains. Ought not those clouds to have im- 

 mediately discharged their electricity, and fallen ? And common experience may 

 remind us, that any cold bodies will condense vapour, whatever be their electric 

 properties. So mirrors, or the glass of windows in damp rooms, are most fre- 

 quently found covered with dew ; which, of all other bodies ought most to be 

 exempted from collecting vapours supported by electricity, as they are the least 

 capable to attract or draw off that aether. 



From all which, well examined, Dr. D. is persuaded that though clouds may 

 sometimes possess an accumulation of electricity, yet that this is only an acci- 

 dental circumstance, and not a constant one ; and thence can have no possible 

 influence either in the elevation or support of them. 



XXXI. Of a New-discovered Species of the Snipe or Tringa.* By Mr. George 

 Edwards, Librarian of the College of Physicians, p. 255. 



This specimen of a new-discovered species of the snipe or tringa kind, was 

 lately shot at Sowerby-bridge in Yorkshire. This bird is like in shape to most 

 others of the tringa or snipe kind. By way of distinction he names it the coot- 

 footed tringa, as it differs from other birds of that genus no otherwise than in 

 having its toes webbed in the same particular manner as the fulica, or our bald- 

 coot. The bill is black, and channelled on both sides of the upper mandible ; in 

 which channels the nostrils are placed near the forehead : it is compressed some- 

 what like a duck's bill, and ridged along its upper part. The eyes are placed farther 

 backward from the bill than in many other sorts of birds, in which the wisdom 

 of Providence is remarkable : for birds of this genus commonly feeding in soft 

 muddy ground on the banks of rivers or the sea, have occasion to thrust their 

 bills deep into the shores, to extract worms and insects ; and their eyes would be 

 in danger, were they placed more forward. The fore part of the head, the neck, 



* This bird is the tringa lobata of Linneus. 



