ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY. 375 



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found also, in South Carolina, and is without doubt, legitimately a 

 southern species. 



During the winter, 1850-51, a lower temperature was experienced 

 in the vicinity of Cleveland than during the preceding ten years. On 

 the 16th and 17th of December, 1850, when the thermometer con- 

 tinued below zero, the general cold, says Dr. Kirkland, seemed to 

 contend for predominance with the warmth of the lake. Even at the 

 low temperature which prevailed w r arm emanations were constantly 

 arising from the water and exhibited a beautiful phenomenon when 

 viewed from the perpendicular bank of the lake, which rises 80 feet 

 above its level, at this point. The warm vapors ascended several feet 

 into the air, then condensed, congealed and fell back again in such 

 rapid succession as to cut'off from view the water, and to give to the 

 unlimited expanse of the lake, the appearance of an immense cauldron, 

 waving or boiling like plaster of Paris parting with its water of 

 crystalization at a high temperature. 



It was a cloud of these snowy spicula, thus formed, which enveloped 

 the steamer Mayflower, and resulted in her running ashore. Passen- 

 gers on board of her, though surrounded with falling snow, could 

 occasionally discern the sun and clear sky overhead. The occurrence 

 of this extreme cold at a time w r hen the lake contained no ice, and the 

 water was comparatively warm, was extraordinary. 



LUXAR ATMOSPHERIC TIDE. 



THE facts derived a few years since from the barometrical observa- 

 tions at St. Helena, showing the existence of a lunar atmospheric 

 tide, have been corroborated in the last year by a similar conclusion 

 drawn by Capt. Elliot, of the Madras Engineers, from the barometri- 

 cal observations at Singapore. The influence of the moon's attraction 

 on the atmosphere produces, as might be expected, a somewhat 

 greater effect on the barometer at Singapore, in lat. 1 19', than at 

 St. Helena, in lat. 15 57'. The barometer at the equator appears to 

 stand on the average about 0.006 in. (more precisely 0.0057, in lat. 

 1 19') higher at the moon's culminations than when she is six 

 hours distant from the meridian. 



NEW THEORY OF THE AURORA. 



LIEUT. HOOPER, R. N., at the British Association, read a paper 

 containing some new views respecting the origin of the aurora. The 

 author says : "I believe the aurora borealis to be no more nor less 

 than moisture in some shape (whether dew or vapor, liquid or frozen,) 

 illuminated by the heavenly bodies, either directly or reflecting their 

 rays from the frozen masses around the pole, or even from the imme- 

 diately proximate snow-clad earth." 



