An Account of the Impression on a Stone Dug up in the Island of Antigua, and the Quantity of Rain Fallen There for Four Years: In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Francis Byam to William Fauquier, Esq; F. R. S.

XLVII. An Account of a remarkable Echinus: By Gustavus Brander, Esq; F. R. S. Read Dec. 11, 1755. This echinus is of a very singular species. It appears to me to be of a middling nature between the echinus and the star-fish. It comes from the island of Bourbon in the East-Indies; and I cannot learn, that it is anywhere described. (Plate VIII. Fig. 3.) XLVIII. An Account of the Impression on a Stone dug up in the Island of Antigua, and the Quantity of Rain fallen there for Four Years: In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Francis Byam to William Fauquier, Esq; F. R. S. Dear Brother, Antigua, March 31, 1755. As you have the honour to be a member of the Royal Society, I have sent you, by Captain Barrett, in a box directed for you, what I esteem to be a great curiosity. It is a stone, that was brought from a quarry, for a building in the town: the quarry is in the side of a mountain, and is about three hundred yards higher than high-water mark, and about two miles from the sea. When the mason struck it with his hammer, it split in two, and discovered the exact portraiture of a fish (on each stone) which we call an old wife. (Plate IX.) I have likewise sent you an account of the quantity of rain, that has fallen in this place for four years last past. past. Had I had such an instrument, as Mr. Derham had, to measure the hundredth part of an inch, it would have increased the quantity greatly; but I have only taken notice of it when it amounted to the tenth part of an inch. My instrument is very simple and plain; it is a tin vessel about thirteen inches high, the aperture at top is four inches and an half square, the bottom the same; the opposite sides parallel to each other. It stands in my garden, free from the drippings of any trees or houses, and raised upon a pedestal about two feet from the ground. You will observe a × in September 51, and September 54. In these months we had hurricanes. If anything of this kind would be agreeable to you, or the Society, I shall take great pleasure in communicating them, when in my power. I am, dear brother, March 31, 1755. Your affectionate brother, F. Byam. A Table of the Rain, which has fallen in Antigua, from 1751 to 1754. | Year | Month | Inch. Tenth | |------|-------|-------------| | 1751 | Jan. | 2 | | | Feb. | 1 | | | March | 2 | | | April | 2 | | | May | 7 | | | June | 4 | | | July | 8 | | | Aug. | 3 | | | Sept. | x | | | Octo. | 4 | | | Nov. | 3 | | | Dec. | 4 | | Year | Month | Inch. Tenth | |------|-------|-------------| | 1752 | Jan. | 0 | | | Feb. | 0 | | | March | 3 | | | April | 0 | | | May | 0 | | | June | 8 | | | July | 2 | | | Aug. | 6 | | | Sept. | 2 | | | Octo. | 4 | | | Nov. | 2 | | | Dec. | 4 | | Year | Month | Inch. Tenth | |------|-------|-------------| | 1753 | Jan. | 3 | | | Feb. | 1 | | | March | 2 | | | April | 2 | | | May | 1 | | | June | 3 | | | July | 8 | | | Aug. | 5 | | | Sept. | 3 | | | Octo. | 4 | | | Nov. | 0 | | | Dec. | 1 | | Year | Month | Inch. Tenth | |------|-------|-------------| | 1754 | Jan. | 0 | | | Feb. | 1 | | | March | 8 | | | April | 2 | | | May | 6 | | | June | 9 | | | July | 3 | | | Aug. | 7 | | | Sept. | x | | | Octo. | 11 | | | Nov. | 6 | | | Dec. | 7 | XLIX.