118 Mr. C. Tomlinson on some Effects of Lightning. 



warm, and carrying up with the heated air from their bodies 

 a considerable column of moisture." 



Mr. Dudgeon has been so good as to send me the particu- 

 lars of another interesting case, which occurred during a 

 tolerably severe thunderstorm near Castle Douglas, Kirkcud- 

 bright, on the 14th of June last. He remarks that "the 

 details given very distinctly point to a discharge from the 

 earth." 



In giving the particulars of this case, we have the some- 

 what rare advantage of quoting the evidence of an intelligent 

 observer, Mr. J. Douglas, the tenant on the farm where the 

 accident happened. Mr. Dudgeon submitted to him a 

 number of questions, which are here given together with the 

 answers : — 



Questions. Answebs. 

 Date 14th June, 1888. 



1. Were the sheep huddled to- 1. Six of them were together, but 

 gether or separate ? uot huddled ; four huddled about 



5 yards from the nearest of the 

 six ; two in another direction, 

 about 10 yards off the six. 



2. Were they in the open or under 2. Six immediately under a tree ; 

 a tree P four below the outer branches of 



the tree and in the shelter of a 



hedge ; two in shelter of a 



hedge. 

 8. Were there any marks caused 3. Six were covered with soil 

 by the lightning on the sheep, which hindered any mark being 



or on any of them ? seen ; most of the others had a 



straight dark mark up both sides ; 



one had one of the hoofs nearly 



torn off. 

 4. Were any trees near the sheep 4. No. 

 struck by lightning at the same 

 time? 



These answers were supplemented by a letter addressed to 

 Mr. Dudgeon by Mr. Douglas. Premising that a number of 

 sheep were grazing in a field near a small wood to which they 

 had access, the narrative thus proceeds : — 



" At the time the storm was at its worst, there was a heavy 

 hail-shower. The sheep being not long clipped, seem to have 

 gone to the trees for shelter. It was under a beech-tree the 

 lightning struck the earth at three places, equally distant 

 round the tree, and about a foot or two from it. It then 

 went in two directions, one at right angles to the other. In 

 one direction it followed one of the roots of the tree, laying 

 bare the soil, and stripping the bark off the root, and killing 

 four sheep in the direct line of it below an oak-tree and an 

 old hedge. In the other direction it cut up the ground until 



