[ 2 53 ] 
Captain Dibden gave an account alfo, that he was 
lately at Virginia, 1763: that the inhabitants of Nor- 
folk had changed their opinions in refpeCt to fixing of 
wires and fmall rods of iron on the tops of their 
houfes ; from the frequent inftances they have lately 
had of their being melted, or deftroyed, by the vio- 
lence of the lightening : and that now they adopted 
in their dead, rods of iron from half an inch thick, 
to three quarters of an inch thick, or more. That 
thofe rods ended in a point at the top, and extended 
from three feet above their houfes down to the ground: 
and that many houfes had one of thefe conducting 
irons at each end. 
This account appears very material upon the pre- 
fent occafion, as it ferves to confirm the conjectures 
that are now offered, in a manner fo obvious as to 
require no particular explanation. 
The captain added, that, though the pine trees are 
confiderably higher than the oaks in the American 
woods, yet the oaks are the ofteneft attacked by the 
lightening : and that he does not remember any 
oaks growing among the pine trees, when the latter 
have buffered by lightening : which muff be owing to > 
the greater rejiftance arifing from the unCtuous nature 
of the pine trees. 
LVI. Solis 
