The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-28
QuEER KINDS OF RAIN.

Showers of Blood and Their Explana-
tions-Rains of Fishes and Insects.
No phenomena of nature have excited
more widespread CONSERVATION in ancient
and even in comparatively modern times
than the so-called rains of blood, stones,
fishes and reptiles, according to writer
in the Washington Star.
The people OF antiquity regarded such
occurrences as dire warning and portents,
and at the present day their occasional
happenings give rise to much wonder
and actual fear. Nevertheless, science
has been able TO ascertain the causes
which produce these remarkable precipi-
tations, which are accounted for by rea-
sons entirely commonplace. In 1870 a
rain of blood'' fell at the Hague. The
citizens got up in the morning and found
that a shower of crimson fluid had fallen
during the night. There was great ex-
element, and the occurrence was looked
upon as foretelling approaching war.
One level-headed physician got little of
the strange water from one of the canals
and examined it under microscope. he
found the fluid was not really red color,
but was simply filed with swarms of
small crimson animalcules. Further in
vestigation showed these animalcules TO
be species of water flea with branching
horns. Presumably they were brought
from great distance by wind and de.
posted with the rain. However, not
Withstanding this explanation, the Hol-
landers persisted in regarding the affair
from superstitious point Of view, and
many declared afterward that it was an
omen giving warning of the deSolation
which was subsequently brought into the
country with fire and sword by Louis
XIV.
In March, 1913, the people of Greece, in
Calabria, saw terrific cloud advancing
from the sea-, which gradually changed
from pale hue to a fiery red, entirely
shutting off the light of the sun. Soon
after the town was enveloped in dark
ness and the inhabitants rushed TO the
cathedral, supposing that the end of the
world was at hand. Meanwhile the
fiery red cloud covered the whole heav-
ems, and, amid terrific peals of thunder,
accompanied by vivid flashes of forked
lightning, red rain fell in large drops,
which were imagined by the excited
populace to be drops of blood or fire.
The strange shower continued to fall
until evening, when the clouds dis
persed.
Analysis made of the fluid showed that
Its coloring made was a light dust of
marked earthly taste. Probably this
dust was elected by an active volcano,
carried for great distance by wind and
and preclpitated with the rain. A colored
deposit resembling brick powder took
place in valley OF Piedmont on an Oc-
tober night in the following year. The
powder covered the trees and grass, and
the next day a fine rain fell, which. on
being eyaporated, carried away the less
colored particles. The remainder, ac-
cumulating In the cavities of the leaves,
produced the startling appearance of
blood spots, and created the utmost
alarm among the peasantry. 1t was de-
clded that the deposit, which had an
earthly flavor, was of volcanic origin.
An analysis of some colored rainSthat
fell IN the Netherlands in 1919 showed
that the red matter was chiefly chloride
OF cobalt. Doubtless the alleged rains of
blood which were always looked upon
by the ancients as such fatal portents
were to be similarly accounted for.
On November 8, 1919, the city of Mon
treal was suddenly enveloped in dark
ness, and rain as black as ink began to
fall. Some of the liquid collected and
forwarded to New York for analysis was
discovered to owe its inky hue entirely
to SCOT. The explanation of it was that
there had previously been immense forest
fires south Of the Ohio River, the season
being remarkably dry, and the sooty
particles from the cont1agration had been
conveyed by strong winds northward, SO
as to mlngle with the rain when it fell.
A shower of a character even more re-
markable occurred in Sicily on April "a.
1851. On the morning of that day every
exposed place within an extensive dis
trlct was found covered with a gray
water, which, being evaporated, left a
deposit nearly quarter of an inch in
thickness. 1t was determined that this
solid matter must have come from Mount
dItna. 1t is certain that vast quantities
of solid substances are constantly afioat
IN the atmosphere. The sunsets all over
the world are redder to this day on ac-
count OF the dust from the mighty erup-
ton IN the Straits of Sunda years ago,
which has not yet entirely settled.
Not only mineral substances, but large
quantities of vegetable material likewise.
are always floating in the air. Astrono-
mers have frequently mistaken such
organic bodies tor meteorites as thew
passed across the field of the telescope.
They were finally discovered to be mostly
'the teathered seeds of plants carried by
the breeze. Having been the first to find
this out, w. X. Dawes, of the ROYAL As
tronomy Society, adjusted the focus of his
instrument so as to examine the seeds.
which he found TO belong to many differ
ent kinds of plants, such as thistles. dan
delions and willows.
Crimson snow has been found in great
quantities at different times on peaks of
the Alps. Its color is due to a minute
species of lichen. In Baffin's Bay, in
1918, Captain Ross, of Arctic fame, dis
covered great cliffs covered with bright
red snow. The coloring matter, when
examined under the microscope, was
found to be vegetable, consisting of
particles like very minute seeds, all of ex-
actly the same size. 1t was never learned
from what plant these globules were de-
rived
Rains of fishes, frogs, insects and other
animals are frequently recorded They
are always caused, apparently, by whirl-
ing wind storms, which gather them up
IN vortex and carry them to distance.