On Water-Spouts. 259 



part of a water-spout ; and accordingly, I find no data on the 

 subject in the published descriptions. The upper part is always 

 described as proceeding as if from a thick cloud. There is often 

 remarked only a very slight increase of size of the cloud, which, 

 however, is gradually extended, and presents the lengthened 

 funnel-shaped portion. Over the sea, the upper part of the water- 

 spout has been seen to stand far from the place which lay perpen- 

 dicularly over the lower portion, until its line of union approach- 

 ed more nearly to the perpendicular position. 



Both on land and water, there has often been seen, in the up- 

 per part of a water-spout, a thin streak of vapor which seemed 

 to sink downwards from the cloud, and afterwards maintained 

 itself in the fully developed water-spout. This is most easily 

 observed at sea, when the lower portion is generally transpar- 

 ent. Such a streak is naturally removed from observation when 

 the water-spout is opaque. It was remarked on one occasion, 

 that it became visible while a land water-spout was crossing a 

 river. 



We can hardly assume that the top of the water-spout is at 

 that point, where, to the inattentive eye, it appears to lose itself 

 in the clouds. Shortly before the appearance of that water-spout 

 which occurred in the neighborhood of Eu, it was observed that 

 the clouds separated, and that some went in an opposite direction 

 from the rest, a fact which seemed to indicate a consequent turn- 

 ing round. A careful observer. Holm, remarked during a water- 

 spout near Copenhagen, through the openings in the lower strata 

 of clouds, a rotatory movement in those lying above. From the 

 upper portion of the water-spout, there proceeded white clouds 

 which had a whirling motion like the water-spout itself 



When the dissolution of the water-spout approaches, the middle 

 portion, especially that part nearest the earth, becomes more and 

 more transparent. The water-spout generally breaks up in the 

 middle. The upper portion shrinks and disappears in the clouds. 

 It is not probable that the latter immediately pass into a state of 

 repose. According to what has been already mentioned, regard- 

 ing the observations of Holm, it is evident, that the clouds, after 

 all appearances of a water-spout have ceased, nevertheless retain- 

 ed a rotating movement. It was at the same time remarked, that 

 not only those clouds which formed the upper portion of the 

 water-spout, but also the rest at some distance, possessed a cir- 

 cular movement. 



