186 BULLETIN. 



The next communication was by Mr. J. M. Toner on 



EARTH VIBRATIONS AT NIAGARA FALLS. 



In June, 1874, the speaker, in company with Dr. J. D. Jackson, 

 of Kentucky, visited the Clifton House on the Canada side of 

 Niagara. On the night of his arrival he was kept awake by the 

 illness of his companion, and his attention Avas drawn to the fre- 

 quent rattling of the doors and windows of his room. He was 

 first led to suppose, while speculating upon the cause, that the vi- 

 bration might be due to pulsations in the air produced by the falling 

 water ; but upon further reflection concluded that it could not be 

 satisfactorily explained in that way, as it continued independently 

 of the direction of the wind. On the following day he made it the 

 subject of conversation with others, but no one seemed to agree with 

 him. He had occasion, however, to note when his chair was tilted 

 back against the stone wall of the house that a tremulous motion, or 

 grating was perceptible. At the time this tremor was a novelty to 

 him, but subsequently he had met with allusions to it by several 

 writers. He was led to the following explanation, viz : that the 

 fall of such a large body of water through so great a vertical dis- 

 tance, must necessarily impart vibrations to the massive rocks 

 which form the trough of the river above and below the falls, and 

 that these vibrations are transmitted through the earth itself. To 

 test this theory, he made on the next day the following experiments: 

 A large carving dish holding water was placed on the rock between 

 the falls and the hotel. Upon the water was poured some sweet 

 oil, and it was seen that wave-rings appeared on the surface of the 

 water. These rings were made more distinct by placing a mirror so 

 as to view them by reflection. No rhythm was detected in these vi- 

 brations. The dish was placed in many localities, more than thirty 

 in number, and at varying distances from the falls. Waves were ob- 

 served in it from the Burning Spring above the falls, and as far as 

 half a mile below the small suspension bridge. They were also 

 noted on the steps of the little Episcopal Church, a mile west of 

 the Hotel on the Canada side. Similar results were obtained on 

 the American side. 



At the conclusion of Mr. Toner's remarks the Society adjourned 

 to October 8th. 



