250 On Water Spouts. 



though a different result might have been anticipated from the 

 close analogy which appears to exist between this essential oil 

 and that of hemlock. Caoutchouchine, however, reacts with sul- 

 phuric acid in a manner quite analogous to the oil of hemlock, 

 giving rise to a yellow resin and an acid compound of sulphuric 

 acid and organic matter, which forms soluble salts with lead and 

 barytes. An oil, however, separates and floats on top, which 

 appears insusceptible of farther attack from the acid. 



Art. YIII. — On Water- Spouts ; by Hans Christian OErsted, 

 Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Copen- 

 hagen.* 



All naturalists, except those who have themselves proposed 

 an explanation of the water-spouts,f are agreed in thinking that 

 science has hitherto given us but little satisfactory information on 

 the phenomenon. This may, in some measure, long continue 

 to be the case, if we desire a perfect expiation of the first change 

 in our atmosphere by means of which a water-spout is caused. 

 It appears, that, owing to the overstrained regard paid to this 

 higher demand, which must so often be left unsatisfied, the sim- 

 pler but yet fruitful labor has been neglected, of bringing together 

 the remarkable appearances with which observations on the sub- 

 ject have furnished us, and by this means ascend gradually from 

 the effect to the proximate cause, until at last we may perhaps 

 succeed in ascertaining clearly the bearings of the whole matter, 

 although, at the same time, much in reference to the ultimate 

 cause, may still remain wanting to satisfy our desire of infor- 

 mation. It appears to me, that, by following this less ambitious 

 course, we may advance nearly as far in our knowledge of water- 

 spouts as we have done in respect to thunder-storms, wind, rain, 

 and many other natural phenomena ; inasmuch as we can prob- 

 ably specify with tolerable certainty the power by which they 

 are produced, although we cannot accurately determine all the 

 circumstances connected with the principles by which the ac- 

 tion is caused at a given place with a given degree of intensity. 



* From Jameson's Edlnb. Journal, July, 1839. 



t As we Iiave no English term exactly equivalent to the German WcttcrsauJc, 

 we have employed the name of water-spout in its place, throughout the present 

 article. — Ed. Jameson's Ed. Jour. 



