tervention of the openings of the small tubes, or their ramifications, between the sides of the larger ones, makes the latter appear more irregular, and not so parallel, as in the true red coral; where we find fewer stars; and where those occur, we may observe it always alters the direction of the tubes.

Many of the tubes of this coral appear through a magnifying glass full of holes, like those he has described in the keratophyton (plate 26, fig. G, p. 62, of his Essay on Corallines ;) and these holes appear more distinctly when we examine the half tubes, or broken irregular ones, on the stem and great branches of this coral. Further, if we compare the transverse section, at the base of this coral, with a section of a common rattan cane, they will both appear full of holes in the same regular order, and of nearly the same diameter: whereas the tubes on the surface of the stem of this coral, look as irregular as so many holes pierced or eaten out by worms.

I hope, says Mr. E. by this time our ingenious botanical friends, whom we could not persuade to part with these beautiful sea-productions from the vegetable kingdom, are thoroughly convinced that this mealy, friable, or calcareous covering, full of starry cells, which we are sure.to find covering all the recent red corals and keratophyta, is not a mere blight of insects common to the sea vegetables as well as land ones, which they have formerly insisted on; but that they will consider this covering, for the future, as proper and necessary for the well-being of these little animals, as they do at present hair and wool for beasts, feathers and down for birds, and scales and slime for fishes.

On examining this coral in the microscope, it is observed that the outside tubes of the stem are chiefly stony, but that the inner parts are composed of as many divisions of spongy tubes as there are of stony ones. This arises from the smaller ramifications, which being spongy at the knobs, and stony in the spaces between them, are inclosed and united together into one common mass during the growth of this coral; so that both the soft and hard parts together make up the inside of its trunk or stem. When we examine minutely the two parts that compose the branches, we find that the knobs consist of little sponge-like tubes interwoven together, as they appear magnified at fig. D; and the shank or part between the knobs is composed of stony tubes, that are more erect (see the piece magnified at E:) these tubes appear to be branched from the lateral holes at FF. The fig. E likewise shows the appearance of the tubes on the surface of the main stem. The radiated openings in the little wart-like figures on the surface of the branches are guarded by 8 pointed valves, as magnified at fig. 1. these inclose heads of the polype, one of which is figured at K.

The stem of this specimen is so entirely divested of its yellow mealy covering, that we may easily trace the manner in which the animals that compose it have carried up their stony tubular cells, which lie side by side along the surface.

These tubes have still some marks of sponginess at particular distances which, as they come to join together, form those irregular cross-lines that surround the stem in several places. See fig. A. The sponginess of the knobby joints occasions that excessive brittleness in the lesser branches; which accounts for the difficulty, which Rumphius mentions, of getting good specimens of this beautiful coral..

XXIV. Effects of a Storm at Wigton in Cumberland. By Mr. T. Thomlinson. p. 194.

On the 6th of Oct. 1756, at night, happened a most violent hurricane, such as has not been known in these parts in any one's memory. It lasted 4 hours at least, from about 11 till 3. The damage it has done is very deplorable. The corn has suffered prodigiously. Stacks of hay and corn have been entirely swept away: houses unroofed, and in several places driven down by its fury: trees without number torn up by the roots; others snapt off by the middles, and their fragments scattered over the adjoining fields. Some were twisted almost round, or split down to the very ground; and, in short, left in such a shattered, mangled condition, as scarcely any description can give an adequate idea of. The change in the face of the country was very surprising in one single night: for, to complete the dismally-desolate scene, the several tribes of vegetables (in all their verdure the day before,) as if blasted with æthereal fire, hung down their drooping heads. Every herb, every plant, every flower, had its leaves withered, shriveled up, and turned black. The leaves on the trees, especially on the weather side, fared in the same manner. The evergreens alone seem to have escaped. The grass also, in a few days time, recovered itself in a great measure. Mr. T. agreed at first with the generality of people in their opinion, that lightning had done all this mischief: but on recollecting that there had not been much seen any where, in many places none at all, but that the effect was general, as far as ever the wind had reached; he began to think that some other cause might probably be assigned. Accordingly, he examined the dew or rain, which had fallen on the grass, windows, &c. in hopes of being enabled, by its taste, to form some better judgment of the sulphureous or nitrous particles, or of whatever other quality they were, with which the air was so strongly impregnated that night, as to produce such strange effects. Nor was he deceived in his expectations: for on tasting it, he found it as brackish as any sea-water. The several vegetables also which he tasted were all salt, more or less, and continued so for 5 or 6 days after; the saline particles not being then washed off, from the corn and windows in particular; the latter of which, when the moisture on the outside was exhaled next day, sparkled and appeared exceedingly brilliant in the sunshine. This saltness he conceived had done the prin

cipal damage: for common salt dissolved in water, he found on experiment on some fresh vegetables, when sprinkled 2 or 3 times, on them, has the very same effect, except that it does not turn them quite so black; but particles of a sulphureous or other quality, may have been mixed with it. That this salt water had been brought from the sea, every body will allow; but the manner how, is not so easy to conceive.

XXV. The Effects of Lightning on the Steeple and Church of Lestwithiel, Cornwall. By Mr. John Smeaton, F. R. S. p. 198.

January 25, 1757, about 5 o'clock in the evening, returning home from the Edystone works near Plymouth, Mr. S. observed 4 flashes of lightning, within the space of 6 or 7 minutes, towards the west; but heard no noise of thunder, distance about 30 miles. A few days after, he was informed, that the same evening the lightning had shattered the church of Lestwithiel in a very surprising manner. At the time before-mentioned, the inhabitants were alarmed by a violent flash of lightning, accompanied with thunder so sudden, loud, and dreadful, that every one thought the house he was in was falling upon him; almost every one being within doors, on account of a violent shower of rain, which preceded the lightning: so that nobody knew any thing of the mischief done to the church, till it was observed accidently after the shower.

The steeple is carried up, plain and square, to about 49 feet, with a kind of slate-stone rough-cast on the outside; on which is formed a very elegant octagon Gothic lantern, about 9 feet high, and on it a stone spire about 52 feet high, with a spindle and vane rising about 3 feet above the stone: so that the whole together was about 113 feet. Each face of the lantern finishes above with a sort of Gothic pediment, with a little pinacle on each, separated from the body of the spire.

The vane was much bruised, which might be occasioned by the fall; but the socket was rent open, as if it had been burst by gunpowder; and in such a manner as could not well be occasioned by the fall. Under the spindle that carried the vane, was a bar of much the same size and length, that passed through the centre of several of the uppermost stones successively, to unite them the more firmly together, and was run in with lead: all which surrounding stones were broken off, except one, which, together with the bar, fell down within the

tower.

* In an adjoining bleach-yard, a piece of cloth, which had been left out all night, was turned yellow; and was not without some difficulty washed out again. Some also, which was spread out the next day, contracted the same colour.-Orig.

†The wind was westerly, and consequently would sweep the Irish sea.-Orig.

No rain, or however very little, during the hurricane.-Orig.

The shell of the spire as far down as 35 feet from the top, was no more than 7 inches thick, and the courses about the same height: so that scarcely any one. stone in the spire could weigh more than 30 or 40 pounds; but they were joined together at the ends with mortoise and tenon in a curious manner. Above 20 feet of the upper part was entirely thrown down, and dispersed in all directions; and some pieces were found at the distance of 200 yards. A great many stones fell on the roof of the church, breaking the pews, and whatever they fell upon. Six feet still lower the spire was separated; the western half being thrown down; the eastern half was left standing, but disjointed, and in so critical a posture, that it seemed ready to fall every moment: so that this was ordered to be taken down immediately; and likewise to 6 feet below, the work being found remarkably shattered. The whole of the spire he found much cracked and damaged, but the remainder of the 7 inch shell so greatly, that there seemed scarcely a whole joint.

The pediments over every face of the lantern were damaged more or less; but the whole ashlering of that to the N. w. was torn off from the inner wall, to which it was connected. Several of the pediments were damaged, and even stones struck out, where the little pinacles above them were left standing.

About the top of the lantern is a bell for the clock to strike on: it is hung on a cross-bar, with gudgeons at each end; the whole being suspended to a bean laid across the tower. The cross-bar was so bent, that the clock-hammer would not touch the bell by above 2 inches. This could not be done by the falling of stones, because the beam would defend the bell from receiving any stroke in the direction to which the cross-bar was bent. As to the wire that drew the hammer, not one bit of it could be found.

The bells, 4 in number, for ringing, hung in the square part of the tower below the lantern, 2 above and 2 below: the wheels of every one were broken to pieces, and one of the iron straps by which they were fastened to the yoke, unhooked. Whether these accidents were occasioned by the lightning or the falling stones, he leaves undetermined. In the floor under the bells was placed the clock, cased up with slight boards. The verge that carries the pallets was bent downwards, as if a 10 pound weight had fallen 10 feet high right upon it. The crutch that lays hold of the pendulum, looked as if it had been cut off by a blunt tool, and heated by the blow, till it was coloured blue at the place where it was cut. It turned at a right angle, and might be about of an inch broad by thick. As to the pendului which hung pretty near the wall, the upper part of the rod was struck with such violence against the wall, that a sharp impression of it was made in the plaster and near the upper part of the impression appeared a circular shady ring, of a blackish colour, something like as if a pistol had been discharged of powder, and the muzzle held near the wall. In this

story several stones were forced out of the walls. The walls of the belfry or tower were much damaged; several stones driven out, and perforations made in the solid wall, particularly one of 14 inches square and 6 inches deep, so truly square and regular, as if cut out by art. All the windows in the church either broken out, or bagged outward.

XXVI. On the Case of the late Horace Lord Walpole; being a Sequel to his own Account published in the Phil. Trans, vol. xlvii. p. 43 and 472. p. 205.

1. Copy of a Letter from John Pringle, M.D., F. R.S. to Dr. Robert Whytt, Professor of Medicine in the University of Edinburgh, and F. R. S., relating to the Case of Lord Walpole; with Dr. Whyte's Answer. Communicated by Dr. Pringle. Dated London, 22 Feb. 1757. p. 205.

In the month of March 1756, about 10 months before his lordship's death, Dr. P. happened to meet him at a friend's house, where he dined, and never saw any man of his age with a more healthful appearance. He was then in his 78th year. He ate with an appetite, and of a variety of dishes; drank some Madeira, and was very chearful the whole time. His lordship said that he had enjoyed perfect health since he sent his case to the Royal Society; that he thought it probable there was still a stone in his bladder, but so diminished or smoothed, as to give him no uneasiness; that he did not think it safe to go about the streets of London in a coach, but that he went every where in a chair; and that in the country he could travel 40 miles a day in his post-chaise without fatigue, or feeling any of his old pains on the motion. That he continued to drink, for a constancy, 3 pints of oyster-shell lime-water daily; and to take as often from half an ounce to a whole ounce of soap, by way of lenitive.

From this time to the beginning of winter, Lord Walpole (as Mr. Graham, his apothecary, informed Dr. P.) continued in the same state of health; but some time after coming to town, his lordship was seized with a lingering feverish disorder, very much affecting his spirits, but entirely unconnected with the stone. Dr. Shaw, who attended his lordship for about a fortnight before his death, said that there had never been any stoppage of water, or passing of bloody urine, or any pain about his bladder or kidneys during his last illness; but that he now and then felt some irritation in making water, a symptom too inconsiderable to require any other medicine than the continuation of his lime-water; which in a smaller quantity he drank till within 2 or 3 days of his end.

Mr. Ranby and Mr. Hawkins, surgeons, with Mr. Graham, were present at the opening of the body; and from the last 2 Dr. P. received the account of the dissection. The coats of the bladder appeared to be a little thicker than natu