Electrical Countries. 415 



mountain was enveloped in a shower of sleet, from which it might 

 be inferred that the continual flow of electricity from the ground 

 towards the clouds helped in a great degree to their formation. 

 Thus, during the observation of the 22nd of June, 1865, in 

 particular, all the rocky points were under the same meteoro- 

 logical conditions, while the valleys situated between the points 

 received violent showers of rain. 



" However we must take into account the higher tempera- 

 ture of the hollows, where sleet about to fall turns into rain. 

 M. de Charpentier long ago pointed out the importance of this 

 fact, and with sleet or snow, the results must be the same. 



" Electricity op the Juea. 



" 5. Electricity of meadows near Gourtavon, 



" An instance of meadow lightning has been observed in 

 the neighbourhood of Porentury, at the foot of the Jura and 

 near Courtavon. About 100 metres above the valley, stands the 

 ancient castle of Morimont, the restoration of which has been 

 entrusted to the Engineer of the mines, Quiquerez de Delemont, 

 a man well-known by his splendid mining and archasological 

 works. Being engaged with directing his workmen, on the 

 26th of August, 1865, he was overtaken by two successive storms 

 between nine and twelve o'clock. At three o'clock in the after- 

 noon there was a third, when the clouds were very low down. 

 Electricity was then exhibited in a frightful manner over 

 the whole extent of the adjacent meadows ; sparks succeeded 

 each other in rapid luminous trains passing over the grass 

 instead of through the air. The general noise was such that the 

 individual cracklings were not distinguished. It did not rain ; 

 but the observers were almost in the clouds and were all drenched 

 with the morning showers. 



" During this journey, three or four leagues east of 

 Morimont and on the continuation of the Jura chain, but a few 

 minutes later, lightning was remarked which ran over the 

 fields and meadows, as if the earth was all on fire. Thus M. 

 Quiquerez was not the only one who observed this phenomenon, 

 and I may add that the storms extended to Lyons. 



" 6. Electricity of the lakes near Neufchdtel. 



"Discharges of the same kind are manifested on lakes, and 

 M. Arago has already noticed the fact in a pond at Parthenay 

 (Vendee) in his Notice sur le tonnere, page 37 L. 



" The Swiss Societe d'Histoire saw an example, on the 2nd of 

 August, 1850, while sailing on the lake of Moret about eight or 

 nine o'clock at night. They then heard thunder at Montbeliard, 

 Chalon, and Bourg. 



"Also on the lake of Bienne, the boatmen of Nidau thought 

 on one occasion that they were crossing a sheet of fire/ 



>) 



