THUNDER Clouds, in physiology, are those clouds which are in a state fit for producing lightning and thunder. See the preceding article.
(A) In the terrible thunder stroke on Leven House in Scotland, the two great streams of electricity had taken the course of the vents which had been most in use, but not to get at the iron work, for it had branched off from the vents, at a great distance from the bottom. The chief conductors through the building had been various gilded mouldings, gilded leather hangings, gilded screens, picture frames, and the foil of mirrors. In this progress the steps have been so many, and so capricious, that no line of progress can be traced, according to any principle. The thunder seems to have electrified at once the whole of the leaden roof, and, besides the two main tracks along the vents, to have afterwards darted at every metal thing in its way. The lowest point of the track was a leaden water cistern; which, however, received no damage; but a thick stone wall was burst through to get at it.