en sufficiently disturbed, competent
to produce the most violent tornado, or the most destructive earthquake.
That these two phenomena have simultaneously occurred, seems well
authenticated; but the earthquake, of course, must be referred generally
to derangements of the electric equilibrium of the earth's interior, of
which at present we know but little.

The day or morning previous to the passage of the vortex, is frequently
very fine, calm, mild, and sleepy weather,--commonly called a weather
breeder. After the storm has fully matured, there is an approach of the
clouds to the surface, a reduction of the temperature above, and the
human body feels the change far more than is due to the fall of
temperature. This is owing to the cold ether requiring so much heat to
raise its temperature to that of surrounding bodies, or, in other words,
is due to its great specific caloric. In summer, this falling of the
upper layers in front of the storm is so apparent, that every part is
seen to expand under the eye by perspective,--swelling, and curling, and
writhing, like the surface of water or oil when just commenced boiling.
The wind now partakes of the motion of the external ether, and moves
with the storm eastward (in this latitude), or from N-E. to S-E., until
the action ceases.

CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO PRODUCE A STORM.

The vortex, in its passage round the earth, may only meet with a few
localities favorable for producing a very violent storm; but these
nuclei will generally be connected by bands of cloudy atmosphere; so
that could we view them from the moon, the earth would be belted like
the planet Jupiter. There is reason to suspect, also, that there are
variations in the energy of the ethereal motions, independent of the
conditions of the earth and its atmosphere, which affects even the
radial stream of the sun. For the zodiacal light, which is caused by
this radial stream, is at times much more vivid than at others. Also in
the case of the aurora, on our own globe. On this point there is much to
say, but here is not the place. The conditions favorable for the
production of a storm at the _central_ passage of a vortex, are a
previous exemption from excitement _ceteris paribus_, a high temperature
and dew point, a depression of the barometer, and local accumulation of
electric tension, positive or negative; and these are influenced by the
storms in other places controlling the aerial currents, and thus
determining th