Prof. Loomis on Hail Storms. 55 
dence that hail of equal size has ever been seen in any other part 
of the world. 
Hail Storm at Montrose, Iowa, on the Mississippi River, in 
Lat. 40° 30’, about the middle of June, 1838. 
The following notice of this storm is derived from a letter re- 
ceived from Mr. D. W. Kilbourne, who resided at Montrose in 
38, but now lives at Keokuk, twelve miles below Montrose. 
“ About four o’clock in the afternoon, a very heavy black cloud 
rose in the northwest, the wind at the time blowing strong from 
that quarter. There was much thunder and lightning; at the 
same time it was clear in the east and southeast. 
Very soon however the whole sky seemed to be covered by 
clouds ; there was a heavy mist, and it was almost as dark as 
night. Rain immediately followed, and for a few moments fell 
in torrents. Then hail stones began to fall. At first they were 
small and excited no surprise in myself or family ; but they con- 
tinued to increase in quantity and size to such an extent as to 
€xcite not only our wonder but our fears. The hail storm con- 
tinued nearly ten minutes, and during all the time small and 
large hail fell together. ‘The wind was high. 
As soon as the storm abated so that it was safe to go out, my 
family were all engaged in picking up the stones. We then se- 
lected the largest and measured their circumference. The largest 
one found measured ten and one-fourth inches. There were a 
large number that measured from two to ten inches in circum- 
ference. | gathered up with my own hands in one spot on the 
grass without moving, a half bushel measure full. 
Mrs. Kilbourne placed several of the largest ones upon the top 
of common sized glass tumblers, and when melted they filled 
the tumblers so that some of them could not be moved without 
lieve the hail stones were particularly noticed or measured except 
at our house.” 
