viewed as a Prognostic of Weather. 359 



tinued for " a period of more than ten years ;" and concludes, 

 " that both solar and lunar haloes are heralds of succeeding 

 changes of weather, from dry to moist." My own experience 

 confirms Mr. White's opinion : out of 33 lunar haloes, re- 

 corded in my journal, only 6 were not followed by rain; and 

 on the other occasions, the rain that fell was in many instances 

 very heavy, and of long continuance. Of these 33 haloes, 

 15 occurred in the winter quarter, comprising the months 

 November, December, and January ; and 10 more appeared 

 in the spring quarter, consisting of the months February, 

 March, and April. Four times the planet Jupiter was seen 

 within the halo ; and, on one occasion, shone with peculiar 

 brightness, the area within the circle being remarkably clear. 

 Lord Bacon, in his History of the Winds, says, " If an entire 

 circle enclose a planet, or any of the greater stars, it fore- 

 shows wind." Again, he says, " If a circle, or halo, appear 

 about the moon, it signifies rain rather than wind, unless the 

 moon stands directly within that circle ; for then it signifies 

 both. Circles about the moon always foreshow wind on that 

 side where they break ; also, a notable shining in some parts 

 of the circle signifies wind from that part where the shining 

 is." As far as my observations have extended, during the 

 last nineteen years, lunar haloes, when well defined, and when 

 the space within the halo is clear, are followed by wind ; but 

 when the circle is indistinct, and the area thick and misty, 

 rain always succeeds ; and the quantity of rain may in some 

 degree be anticipated by observing the greater or less degree 

 of density of the mist surrounding the moon. Foster, in his 

 Researches about Atmospheric Phenomena, expresses his opi- 

 nion, that lunar haloes are the " most certain signs of rain." 

 Your widely circulated Magazine may be rendered the means 

 of proving the reliance which may be placed on the lunar 

 halo as the harbinger of rain, if your correspondents will 

 communicate their observations, and thereby assist in re- 

 moving one of the objections raised against the usefulness of 

 the study of meterology. 



High Wycombe, Bucks, April 30. 1836. 



[A communication in express recommendation of the in- 

 stitution of a society of meteorologists has since been received 

 from Mr. Tatem.] 



D d 4 



