25 
Ordinary Meeting, November 1st, 1864 
R. Angus Smith, Ph.D., F.R.S., &c., President, in the 
Chair. 
The following gentlemen were elected Ordinary Members 
of the Society: — Mr. William Cort Wright, F.C.S. ; Mr. 
George Heppel, M.A. ; and Mr. William Mather. 
Mr. Sidebotham said that he had noticed the common 
statement that Beech Trees were never damaged by lightning. 
He had been induced to collect facts on the subject, and 
had found that out of 28 instances, the trees struck were — 
Oak, 9 ; Poplar, 7 ; Ash, 4 ; Willow, 3 ; Horse Chestnut, 1 ; 
Chestnut, 1 ; Walnut, 1 ; Thorn, 1 ; Elm, 1, respectively. 
Mr. Binney remarked that strokes of lightning were 
generally determined by the nature of the subsoil, and that 
in certain localities thunderstorms were very destructive, 
while in others they were comparatively harmless, and damage 
by lightning hardly ever occurred. The Beech, it was well 
known, was generally found growing upon dry, sandy soils, 
which were bad conductors of electricity, and which therefore 
acted as protectors against destructive lightning discharges. 
Pbooeedings — Lit. & Phil. Society — Vol. IY.— No. 3 — Session, 1864-5. 
