The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-18
SHOWERS OF FROGS AND FISH
Curious Instances in Which They
Have Come Down in the Rain.

Curious Instances in Which They
Have Come Down in the Rain.
From the 81. Louis Globe Democrat.
The very singular phenomenon Familiarity
known as the rain of frogs" has been ridi-
culed snd contradicted by some scientists.
but there is abundant proof that such occur
rences are by no means rare. One Of the
earliest narratives of this kind is that COM
municated to the French academy by Prof.
Pontus, in 1904, in which he gives an &C
count Of a shower of frogs at Toulouse, aud
states that he himself saw numerous young
frogs on the cloaks of two gentlemen
VINO were caught in the shower on the road.
When the diligence in which he was travel
ing arrived at the place where the storm
burst, the roads and fields were observed to
be absolutely full Of frogs. In some places
they appeared to be three OF four deep, and
the horses hoofs killed Thousands during
the passage Of the vehicle through the spot.
An instance Of a no less curious frog
shower in our own country is related by
writer in the Overland MOnthIU who says
that in the year 1864 he was, with a mum
Der OF Other tourists, travelling in Arizona,
at least twenty miles from any stream or
pond. The day being exceedingly sultry, a
haiJ was made for rest of an hour or two,
when suddenly dense cloud made its APP
pearance, which soon began to discharge "A
copious rain. Nearly every person in
the party wore a broad-brimmed felt hat,
which proved great protection against
the rain, as they had already been
against the sun. The attention of the trav-
elers was soon arrested by vigorous pelt-
ing OF something which seemed like hail
Stones upon their som5reros, but which,
greatly TO their surprise, proved to be
species OF diminutive frogs. In less than
two minutes the grass was fairly alive with
these little creatures. They were all of one
size, about quarter of an inch long, very
lively and apparently in the best condition.
Their fall had evidently been broken by the
elastic, sprlngy nature Of the grass
Abiding TO the theory advanced by
some scientists that in such cases the frogs
must of necessity have arisen from the
ground, the writer says: ut is not prob
able that several hundred thousand, perhaps
millions, Of frogs had suddenly been
Matched into life by the rain, or if they
had, that in their infantile glee they jumped
D feet II inches from the earth to the top
OF our heads merely to show how the game
OF leap.-frog should by played, They came
from above, in company with the rain, and
this fact was made clear by holding out the
hand and seeing them fall upon it, as well
as finding them upon our hat rims"
10 Judge from u number of instances re-
lated in Chambers book of Days,n it
would seem that the cases Of fishfalis in
the old country, at least, outnumber those
OF frogs to a considerable degree. Ga April
IA, 1928, Maj. Mackenzie of RoSshire, while
walking IN a field on his farm, saw great
portion of the ground covered with herring
fry, 3 and 4 inches in length, fresh and
entire. The spot was all of three miles
from the Firth of Dingwell. About two
years later, in the Island of lslay, in Argyle.
shire, after very heavy rain, the inhab-
ltants were surprised to find a large number
of fresh herrings strewn over their fields.
More recently a Wick newspaper stated
that one morning a large quantity of the
same species Of fish were found scattered in
a garden i'll that town. These. it is stated
the peasants cooked and ate, though not
without misgivings as to the possibility of
some satanic agency having been concerned
III transferring them to such spot.
One OF the most curious instances of this
nature is related by an English officer, who.
while residing in Calcutta. saw a quantity
of live fish descend in heavy shower Of
rain. 1.-The most strange thing that struck
me in connection with this event" said
the officer, twas that the fish did not fail
helter-skelter, everywhere, or here and
there, but in an even, straight line not
more than a cubit in BREADTH OF all re-
markable events of this character, how
ever, the InosJ sensational was the famous
Kentucky meat shower" which mystified
SO many people some twenty years ago.
This was at first regarded by many as
hoax, but was found to be veritable oc-
currence, although hardly susceptible of a
thoroughly satisfactory explanation. This
flesh fall" took place on the farm of Mr..
Crouch, which was in a spot surrounded by
high hills and mountains, in Hath county,
Kentucky. The account given by Mrs.
Crouch was substantially as follows:
Between II and IL o'clock was in nv
yard, not more than forty steps from the
house. There was light wind coming from
the west but the sky was clear and the sun
was shining brightly. Without any prelude
or warning of any kind, and exactly under
these circumstances, the shower commenced.
The fall was Of not less than one nor more
than two minutes duration. When the
flesh began to fall 1 saw large piece strike
the ground close by me with swapping
like noise when it struck. l was impressed
with the conviction that it was a miracle or
a warning. The largest piece that saw
was as long as my hand and about half an
inch wide. 1t looked gristly, as if it had
been torn from the throat OF some animal.
Another piece that saw was half round in
shape and about the size of a half dollar.