All these remarkable showers may be accounted for, when we consider the mighty power of the wind; especially that form of it which is popularly called the whirlwind. It is now pretty well ascertained, that in all, or most of the great storms which agitate the atmosphere, the wind has a circular or rotatory movement; and the same is probably the case in many of the lesser storms, in which the air is whirled upwards in a spiral curve with great velocity, carrying up any small bodies which may come within the circuit. When such a storm happens at sea, the water-spout is produced. In the deserts of Arabia, pillars of sand are formed; and, in other places various light bodies are caught up; fishponds have been entirely emptied in an instant, and the moving column, whether of water, sand, or air, travels with the wind with great swiftness. When, however, the storm has subsided, the various substances thus caught up and sustained in the air, are deposited at great distances from the place where they were first found, and thus produce these remarkable showers. In some cases, however, the direct force of the wind has actually blown small fish out of the water, and conveyed them several miles inland. Showers of nutritious substances have been recorded on good authority. We do not here refer to the manna which fell in such abundance about the Hebrew camp, for that was a miracle specially wrought by the Almighty for the preservation of his chosen people; but, it may be noticed here, that in Arabia, a substance, called “manna,” is found in great abundance on the leaves of many trees and herbs, and may be gathered and removed by the wind to a distance. A shower of this kind occurred in 1824. In 1828, a substance was exhibited at the French Academy, which fell in the plains of Persia. It was eaten, and afforded nourishment to cattle, and many other animals; and, on examination, proved to be a vegetable,—the _Lichen esculentus_,—which had been conveyed thither by the winds. In the Minutes of the proceedings of the Royal Society, 26th June, 1661, we find the following curious narration:— “Col. Tuke brought, in writing, the following _brief account of the supposed rain of wheat_, which was registered:— “On the 30th of May, 1661, Mr. Henry Puckering, son to Sir Henry Puckering, of Warwick, brought some papers of seeds, resembling wheat, to the king, with a letter written by Mr. William Halyburton, dated the 27th May, from Warwick; out of which letter I have made this extract: