248 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
“At Ereshford, however, where the thunder had been peculiarly loud, the first 
rain that fell appeared black, from a number of particles of some dark substance 
floating in it. Some of the water is now presented to the meeting. The dark 
particles fall to the bottom, when the water has been left to rest for some time. 
I shall not offer any conjecture as to the nature of these particles, but I think they 
are worthy of careful examination. I think it impossible that they could have 
come from any place but the atmosphere, along with the rain. The only other 
sources could have been, the vessels in which the water was caught, or the 
roofs of the houses, on which the rain fell. Now, the first is not likely, for the 
vessels were set, in order to catch the rain for washing purposes, and, therefore, 
were quite clean ; besides it is unlikely that the same kind of substance could be 
found in all the vessels. With regard to the roofs of houses, it is to be observed, 
that there had been a great deal of rain on Sunday and Monday ; and, therefore, 
the slates were well washed before this particular rain fell. It is also well known 
that rain is frequently tinged by various substances, and, therefore, there can be 
no prior reason for rejecting the atmospheric origin of this. It would be useless, 
however, to attempt a conjecture as to its nature without a more particular exami¬ 
nation than I am capable of making. I hope I shall be considered as having done 
my part in bringing it under the notice of the meeting. 
“ Since writing the above there appears an effervescence in the fluid.” 
