212 
NATURE NOTES 
One of my brothers informs me that the Somersetshire elm 
was struck on January 6, 1865, and another brother tells me that 
he helped to cut it down, and, with the latter, I visited the vacant 
site last December. 
Yet another brother, the Rev. E. T. Daubeny, who is a 
frequent contributor to these columns, wrote to me concerning 
this tree and others that had been struck : — 
“ I was at Cleeve at that particular time, and saw the elm 
tree in ‘ Eighteen acres.’ The circumstances are as fresh in my 
memory as if they occurred but lately. I remember the elm was 
struck some way up, and a piece of bark blown away ; then the 
electricity seemed to have jumped some feet, and taken out a 
larger piece of bark lower down. 
“ But the curious part remains for me to tell. The grass all 
round the tree was cut in furrows ; these furrows branched, and 
ended with a hole as large as one’s finger into the earth. If you 
could imagine a hole here and there round the tree, emitting 
water running in a stream, then joining a small river running up 
the slope of the grass to the tree trunk. Only, of course, rivers 
do not run up hill ! 
“ I have often thought what this mischief in the grass could 
be. We hear that the return shock from the earth is the more 
dangerous, and is that which kills so many animals, sheep, oxen, 
&c., that take shelter under a tree that is struck. 
“ The destructive force of the lightning that struck the tree 
would seem to be expended on the tree itself, and the return 
shock may have caused the furrows and holes. I remember well 
seeing a vivid flash of lightning, for I was looking out of my 
dining-room window at the storm, which struck a poplar in an 
adjoining field here nine years ago. About a cartload of splinters 
were knocked out of the tree, which was struck three parts up ; 
and a great explosion must have taken place at the lower part, 
where so much damage was done. Some pieces were hurled 150 
yards — one piece as long and broad as my body. But there were 
no furrows or holes in the ground, like at the elm at Cleeve. 
The poplar soon showed signs of being mortally wounded, and, 
to my regret, was taken down. 
“A little before that a large oak tree was struck five miles 
from here. It was in situ a year ago, but is split fearfully, most 
of the bark off, and only partially alive. 1 had no opportunity 
of seeing if there was any damage on the ground, like what 
occurred at Cleeve. 
“ In the middle of this village is a tree that was struck just 
before I came : there is a broad strip of bark cut out from 20 
feet above the ground to the roots. I have seen similar cases to 
this last, but none of dates that I know, save those that I have 
enumerated.” 
These remarks of my brother explain much ; I may add, 
however, that it is positive electricity that descends from the 
clouds, and negative that rises from the earth to meet it. 
