During Sir John Herschel's residence at the Cape of Good Hope, he often observed that on the windward side of the Table Mountain the clouds were spread out and descended very low, but frequently without any rain falling; while, on the lee-side they poured over the precipitous face of the mountain, producing as they rolled out, the well-known phenomenon of the table-cloth. Sir John, however, found that as he walked under fir-trees in the neighbourhood, while the clouds were closely overhead, he was subjected to a copious shower; but on coming from beneath the trees it was fair. On inquiring into the cause of this, he ascertained that the cloud was condensed on the trees, and thus the umbrella-shaped tops of the firs acted a part quite the reverse of our umbrellas in this country, for they wetted the person beneath them, instead of keeping him dry.