8 NATURAL APPEARANCES 



in fome parts of the hill, for eight or nine years. Here, there- 

 fore, is a piece of natural hiftory worth recording, and for 

 which a theory is wanted. 



The appearances which have been here defcribed are, fo far as 

 I know, fingular and unconnected with all others resulting from 

 known caufes. I know that fimilar circles have been obferved 

 by naturalifts, and by them afcribed to thunder ; as we fhould 

 certainly have done in this cafe, were it not for the regular an- 

 nual progrefhon, which, if the effect of thunder, muft follow 

 rules not yet inveftigated, either in electricity, vegetation or the 

 mineral fyftem ; for, 



How comes it, that the electrical operation takes place regu- 

 larly in the fpring only, and that without any appearance of 

 thunder ? 



idly, How comes it, that the ftripe of grafs deftroyed by one 

 operation, is always regularly progreflive in one particular di- 

 rection, in relation to the firft electrical operation ? 



2>dly, If this progreflive appearance fhall be confidered as an 

 electrical operation, and every fucceffive repetition as directed 

 by the one immediately preceding it ; then, how was the firft 

 produced ; when was it ; and when will be the lad ? 



The next conjectural caufe that fuggefts itfelf as an explana- 

 tion of-thofe appearances, is the operation of infects. But 

 there feems to be no lefs difficulty in reconciling any known 

 animal-ceconomy with the appearances under confideration, as 

 the only caufe of thofe appearances ; for, 



How fhould thofe animals have been diftributed in thofe fe- 

 parated tribes upon the hill, and difpofed in the continuous 

 tracks, fo as to exhibit lines of long extent, traverfing ground* 

 and foil of various quality, as well as in tracks of very little 

 extent ; but, whether great or fmall, formed upon the fame 

 principle, every part having a fimilar relation to a whole ? 



Are thefe large tracks to be confidered as the extenfion of 

 colonies which once had been fmall ? or, Are thefe colonies 



dropped 



