Mr. Harris on the Aurora Boreali*. 523 



ing as if the fiery cloud had burst. In the midst of these streaks 

 appeared bright patches, especially N.E., of the most brilliant 

 flame colour. At one time, these united and formed a most 

 beautiful track of pale crimson from N.W. to N.E., the flame 

 colour in some places occurring outside the white cloud against 

 the clear sky. The northern edge of the cloud gradually 

 became dense and ragged, while the sky in the north, to the 

 height of twenty degrees, was of the most inky blackness. 

 Excepting the bright prismatic patches of crimson, faint green, 

 and sometimes yellow, it had all the appearance of a spent 

 snow-squall strongly lighted by the moon. By ten P.M. the 

 light gradually withdrew from the zenith, and settled very like 

 a bank of cloud, extending from west to east, about 10 in 

 depth, the sky beneath, for 20, being perfectly black. In the 

 brightest parts of the cloud the stars were seen, but faintly ; 

 and, indeed, Ursa Major, at one time, was scarcely visible. 

 The thermometer at the time 24, barometer 30.60. 



Tuesday llth. Aurora Borealis visible at eight. About 

 8 h P.M. it appeared in the form of two horizontal luminous 

 bands of cloud, about 20 high, and extending from N.W. 

 to N.E., with a distinct dark space intervening. About 8 h 

 30 m they were rendered more confused by a hazy white light 

 streaming up through them from the north, giving the luminous 

 strata the appearance which geologists call * a fault.' The 

 eastern edge of the light was very clearly defined: indeed 

 it had the appearance of a strong light streaming through a 

 half-closed aperture. Barometer 30.03, thermometer about 30 Q . 

 At nine P.M. the night became cloudy, and no observation 

 could be made. 



Monday, March 1th. Aurora Borealis very fine at night. I, 

 observed it first about 8 h 40 m P.M. Its lower edge then formed 

 a very regular arch from N.W. by W. to N.E. ; the greatest 

 altitude of which was in N.N.W., about 18. A large star 

 (Deneb in Cygnus about N. by W. ?) was 2 above its lower 

 edge. The light suddenly seemed to become concentrated in 

 the N.E., where the lower edge became irregular and ap- 

 proached the horizon like the folds of a curtain ; at the same 

 time three or four streams of vertical white light shot up in the 

 N.E., N.N.E., and N, : these almost immediately faded away ; 



