A Letter from Mr. Henry Forth to the Late Revd William Derham, D. D. Canon of Windsor, and F. R. S. concerning the Storm Jan. 8th, 1734/5

sometimes, if very much heated, will, as soon as they come to the open Air, catch Fire, and so produce those fiery Eruptions, of which there are so many Instances in the World. VII. A Letter from Mr. Henry Forth to the late Rev'd William Derham, D.D. Canon of Windsor, and F.R.S. concerning the Storm Jan. 8th, 1735. Darlington, Jan. 18, 1735. Honoured Sir, ALTHO' I am not so happy as to be acquainted with your Person, I am no Stranger to your Labours, wherewith you have obliged the World; and that Part which relates to Observations upon the Alteration of the Weather, I have for some small time pursued, for my own private Satisfaction, upon your ingenious Model. The dismal Accounts we have had from the Southern Parts, of the Storm of Wind which happened on the 8th Instant, put me upon reflecting, that one of your Curiosity might desire to know how our Northern Regions were affected by it; which will, I hope, be a sufficient Apology for this Liberty. The Place from which I write, and where I reside, is 14 Miles South of Durham, Lat. 54° 46'. The Evening before the 8th, my Barometer stood at 29 Inches, but had been gradually falling for two Days. The Wind was then S.W. high in the second Degree; which increased towards Midnight a Degree more. Most of the Day was attended with Snow or Sleet. The 8th in the Morning I found my Glats fallen to 28 Inches, 53 Parts, and at Four o’Clock p.m. down to 28 Inches, 5 Parts, and by Ten in the Evening risen again to 28 Inches 45 Parts. All this while the Wind with us was in the North East, with only a moderate Gale, tho’ attended all Day with Snow, which at Night was two Inches and a quarter deep; and about Eight it began to freeze. As the Wind in the South Parts was all that while in the opposite Quarter, I should have expected an Accumulation of the Air, and, as a Consequence, the rising of the Barometer at the time of its falling the lowest. Had the Storm been the Night before, when our Wind was in the same Direction, and had afterwards fallen, I should then have imputed the Fall to the quick Return of the Current of Air to restore the Æquilibrium: But as it is, the small Progress I have made in Natural Philosophy, leaves me in Ignorance. I cannot conclude without once more asking Pardon for this Freedom, and assuring you that I am, SIR, Your most obedient, humble Servant, HENRY FORTH. P.S. P. S. As we have been fortunate in escaping the last Storm, we have been no less so in regard to the melancholy Effects which the great Rains have produced in the more Southerly Parts; for tho' we had more than usual with us the last Month (for I find by my Register that 13 to 85 pts. fell through my Funnel, whose Area is just 100 inches, in December last) yet the almost constant intermitting Frosts we had, kept it from going off in any considerable Quantity at a time. | Barometer, greatest Altitude | Inches. | |-----------------------------|---------| | least ditto | 29 : 13 | VIII. An Account of the Bones of Animals being changed to a Red Colour by Aliment only. By John Belchier, Surgeon, F. R. S. THAT the Circulation of the Blood is carried on through the Bones, is evident from many Phænomena observable in Surgery; but that the Circulation is universally and intimately distributed through the most solid and compact Substance of the Bones (tho' hitherto by some made a Matter of Doubt) will appear undeniably from the Instances here produced; which are the Bones of several Hogs, of a different Breed, changed to a deep red Colour merely by Aliment. And what makes this still