Weather attending Instances of Aurora Borealis. 31 



Art. XI. Remarks on Appearances of the Display of Aurora on 

 November 18. 1835, as observed in Norfolk. By Mr. Samuel 

 Taylor. Extracted from a Letter to the Conductor. 



Did you see the aurora borealis last night (18th) ? I cer- 

 tainly never witnessed any thing so splendid. The whole 

 northern hemisphere seemed a blaze of mild white light : an 

 immensely wide-spread arch, or bow, from which issued the 

 most brilliant coruscations ; sometimes shooting up in long 

 flashes, or flakes, as it were ; and at others rolling upwards 

 like waves, only with infinitely greater rapidity. These 

 rapidly succeeding waves of light reminded me of mist driven 

 by a strong wind up the mountain sides. Have not you seen 

 such ? What is the cause of this phenomenon ? It seems 

 intended as a provision for light ; but, if so, why does it occur 

 so seldom ? Many of our nights are totally dark ; though I 

 suppose, at these very times, other and more northern regions 

 are benefited by the aurora. The day with us had been un- 

 usually stormy, with occasional heavy rain ; but the evening 

 was uncommonly clear, and the stars displayed great bril- 

 liancy. This morning the air was mild, the sun shone 

 brightly, but the evening was cloudy. I do not know why, 

 but the wise in such matters tell us we are to have a hard 

 winter ; of which, as they say, the early appearance of wood- 

 cocks, and other birds of passage, is a sure indication. Has 

 the aurora borealis aught to do in this matter ? I should 

 fancy not ; because I remember that two years ago, though 

 not so brilliant as last night, still very brilliant it assuredly 

 was ; and yet we had a mild winter, as, indeed, we had last 

 year. 



Whitlington, Stoke Ferry > Norfolk, Nov. 19. 1835. 



Art. XII. A Statement of the Condition of the Weather, chiefly 

 the Direction of the Wind, before and after Instances of Aurora 

 Borealis, observed at Dundee in 1833 and 1834 ; and an Account 

 of Instances of Aurora Borealis, and other Meteoric Phenomena^ 

 observed at Dundee in Dec. 1834, and in part of 1835. By Mr. 

 William Gardiner, Jun. 



Agreeably to the desire of Mr. W. H. White (VIII. 345.), 

 I supply a few statements respecting the direction of the winds 

 before and after the time of my observing of the instances of the 

 aurora borealis, in 1833 and 1834 (VIII. 94—96.). 



In the first column of the following tabular view, the dates 

 of the auroral appearances are given as registered in VIII. 



