# An Account of the Impression on a Stone Dug up in the Island of Antigua, and the Quantity of Rain Fallen There for Four Years: In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Francis Byam to William Fauquier, Esq; F. R. S.

**Author(s):** Francis Byam  
**Year:** 1755  
**Journal:** Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775)  
**Volume:** 49  
**Pages:** 5 pages  
**Identifier:** jstor-104941  
**JSTOR URL:** <https://www.jstor.org/stable/104941>  

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XLVII. An Account of a remarkable Echinus: By Gustavus Brander, Esq; F. R. S.

Read Dec. 11, 1755.

This echinus is of a very singular species. It appears to me to be of a middling nature between the echinus and the star-fish. It comes from the island of Bourbon in the East-Indies; and I cannot learn, that it is anywhere described. (Plate VIII. Fig. 3.)

XLVIII. An Account of the Impression on a Stone dug up in the Island of Antigua, and the Quantity of Rain fallen there for Four Years: In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Francis Byam to William Fauquier, Esq; F. R. S.

Dear Brother,

Antigua, March 31, 1755.

As you have the honour to be a member of the Royal Society, I have sent you, by Captain Barrett, in a box directed for you, what I esteem to be a great curiosity. It is a stone, that was brought from a quarry, for a building in the town: the quarry is in the side of a mountain, and is about three hundred yards higher than high-water mark, and about two miles from the sea. When the mason struck it with his hammer, it split in two, and discovered the exact portraiture of a fish (on each stone) which we call an old wife. (Plate IX.) I have likewise sent you an account of the quantity of rain, that has fallen in this place for four years last past.
past. Had I had such an instrument, as Mr. Derham had, to measure the hundredth part of an inch, it would have increased the quantity greatly; but I have only taken notice of it when it amounted to the tenth part of an inch. My instrument is very simple and plain; it is a tin vessel about thirteen inches high, the aperture at top is four inches and an half square, the bottom the same; the opposite sides parallel to each other. It stands in my garden, free from the drippings of any trees or houses, and raised upon a pedestal about two feet from the ground. You will observe a × in September 51, and September 54. In these months we had hurricanes. If anything of this kind would be agreeable to you, or the Society, I shall take great pleasure in communicating them, when in my power. I am, dear brother,

March 31, 1755.

Your affectionate brother,

F. Byam.

A Table of the Rain, which has fallen in Antigua, from 1751 to 1754.

| Year | Month | Inch. Tenth |
|------|-------|-------------|
| 1751 | Jan.  | 2          |
|      | Feb.  | 1          |
|      | March | 2          |
|      | April | 2          |
|      | May   | 7          |
|      | June  | 4          |
|      | July  | 8          |
|      | Aug.  | 3          |
|      | Sept. | x         |
|      | Octo. | 4         |
|      | Nov.  | 3         |
|      | Dec.  | 4         |

| Year | Month | Inch. Tenth |
|------|-------|-------------|
| 1752 | Jan.  | 0          |
|      | Feb.  | 0          |
|      | March | 3          |
|      | April | 0          |
|      | May   | 0          |
|      | June  | 8          |
|      | July  | 2          |
|      | Aug.  | 6          |
|      | Sept. | 2         |
|      | Octo. | 4         |
|      | Nov.  | 2         |
|      | Dec.  | 4         |

| Year | Month | Inch. Tenth |
|------|-------|-------------|
| 1753 | Jan.  | 3          |
|      | Feb.  | 1          |
|      | March | 2          |
|      | April | 2          |
|      | May   | 1          |
|      | June  | 3          |
|      | July  | 8          |
|      | Aug.  | 5          |
|      | Sept. | 3         |
|      | Octo. | 4         |
|      | Nov.  | 0         |
|      | Dec.  | 1         |

| Year | Month | Inch. Tenth |
|------|-------|-------------|
| 1754 | Jan.  | 0          |
|      | Feb.  | 1          |
|      | March | 8          |
|      | April | 2          |
|      | May   | 6          |
|      | June  | 9          |
|      | July  | 3          |
|      | Aug.  | 7          |
|      | Sept. | x         |
|      | Octo. | 11        |
|      | Nov.  | 6         |
|      | Dec.  | 7         |

XLIX.