nes in aquam resolvantur. Sunt enim quædam aereæ. Magnæ tamen, pluviosæ et salis plenæ, naturâ aqueâ constant. Unde etiam resolvuntur."
De Meteoris, T. 2, P. 319.
Peiresc thought be had detected the cause of blood-showers in the matter ejected by certain insects when they pass from the chrysalis to the winged state. Any person who has kept silk-worms will recollect the appearance; it is rather of an orange than a blood colour, but if many insects should take wing about the same time, in one place, (as was the case when Peiresc observed the fact,) the large drops falling upon any substance which would retain them, would easily be mistaken for blood by the ignorant. But we have lately heard of red snow, and this seems to show that the true solution yet remains to be discovered.
