Abstract
To artificial snowballs and mudballs will you permit me to add an experience of foamballs. We were staying at Biarritz in early spring, and one morning on going down to the beach we found it covered with such balls. A strong wind was blowing off the bay, which caught the wave-crests, and threw off little masses of foam. These, though quite small at first, accumulated, and, in some cases, conglomerated as they rolled inland, until they gradually attained a size of two to three feet in diameter; and as many of these balls of various sizes were drifted along by the wind, they presented a most singular appearance. This was made more curious by some of the town dogs catching sight of the objects, and taking to chevying them along the sand, until a sort of steeplechase was established. Every now and then a dog would overtake and dash into a flying sphere, only to find it, to his manifest disappointment, of a very unsubstantial character. The beach was covered far and wide with the debris of the broken balls.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
CAPRON, J. Foamballs. Nature 27, 531 (1883). https://doi.org/10.1038/027531a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/027531a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.