ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY. 349 



ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY. 



M. QUETELET, Secretary of the Royal Academy of Sciences of 

 Belgium, has recently communicated to that institution several impor- 

 tant particulars connected with some anomalous conditions observed in 

 the electricity of the atmosphere during the present year. Usually 

 the atmospheric electricity is, in that country, of the highest intensity 

 in January, and reaches its minimum in June. The values for these 

 months are in the relation of 32 to 1 when the sky is perfectly serene, 

 and of 8 to 1 when it is clouded. During the whole of last January, 

 the electricity was constantly less than in any previous year observed, 

 being below one half of its ordinary intensity. This diminished in- 

 tensity has been observed up to September, the minimum being ex- 

 tended beyond the ordinary period. 



PROGNOSTICATIONS OF THE WEATHER. 



AN English gentleman, Mr. E. J. Lowe, has recently published the 

 results of a multitude of meteorological observations, undertaken with 

 a view of ascertaining whether the popular and generally received 

 opinions respecting atmospherical phenomena have in reality any 

 foundation. The conclusions are, that little or no dependence can be 

 placed upon any of the popular signs or prophecies, and that, in most 

 cases, fair weather predominates even when the prognostications indi- 

 cate rain. The following table of numerous registered observations 

 on phenomena which are said to indicate either rain or fair weather, 

 shows how the result stood. 



No. of Followed in 24h. by 

 Observations. Fair or Rain. 



Solar halos 204 133 71 



Lunar halos 102 51 51 



White stratus in valley : 229 201 28 



Distance clear 102 61 41 



Distant sounds heard as if near at hand . 45 25 20 



Aurora borealis 76 49 27 



Colored clouds at sunset .... 35 26 9 



Dew profuse 241 198 43 



White frost 73 59 14 



Stars bright 83 64 19 



Stars dim 54 32 22 



Smoke rising perpendicularly ... 6 5 1 



Sun red and shorn of rays .... 34 31 3 



Moon shining dimly 18 12 6 



Flies troublesome 22 12 10 



Spiders' webs- thickly woven on the grass . 13 9 4 



Leaves of vegetables drooping ... 25 5 20 



THE CLIMATE OF ITALY. 



M. DUREAU DE LA MALLE concludes a recent series of elaborate 

 investigations into the climate of ancient and modern Italy, the re- 



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