during the years 1826 and 1827. 131 



March 29th. — Before 8| a. a light auroral arch appeared 

 near the zenith. It progressed towards the south, precisely like 

 that of the 21st January. Wind this day N. W. At 9 there 

 was a brilliant display of the aurora. 



April 9th. — A fine rainbow about 5 a. About 8 h 25' a. 

 a large slow falling star. In part of its course it formed a 

 right angled triangle with Algol and Capella. I observed it 

 move through an arch of 7° to 10°. 



April 12th. — At 2 h 50 a loud peal of thunder, with others 

 following. 



April 17th. — At 8J a. I observed a remarkable halo round 

 the moon of about 40° diameter, which continued all evening. 



April 27th. — An uncommon day at this season. Snowing 

 almost incessantly till about 3 a. Thermometer (in the coun- 

 try) at 9 m. 89° ; 1 a. 42°; 9 a. 33° ; 10 a. 32°. 



April 29th. — About 9 h 35' a. a very brilliant and rapid fal- 

 ling star passed parallel to d Gemini, and (3 Canis minor, over 

 a considerable space. At ll h 13', a very bright and rapid 

 shooting star, with a short course, probably eclipsed Librae, 

 and proceeded obliquely downwards. 



May 14th. — At 10 h 30' m. the unusual phenomenon of an 

 aerial waterspout was observed in the neighbourhood of Edin- 

 burgh. A light dusky cloud of a funnel shape was seen in a 

 north-westerly direction, clearly relieved from a darker cloud 

 behind. It was evidently transfusing the contents of a very 

 dense and dark black cloud into one immediately below, with 

 which it formed the only connection. At this time the lower 

 extremity of the waterspout was bent from the direction of the 

 wind, being N. E. ; the upper cloud was moving in a contrary 

 direction. In a very few minutes it reached its greatest dis- 

 tinctness, and a manifest transfusion of the contents was taking 

 place, the column presenting the appearance of smoke or steam, 

 and the undulation at the edges was scarcely perceptible. The 

 form it assumed at this period is shown at Plate II., Fig. 10, 

 according to a sketch I made shortly after, the lower extremity 

 being turned towards the west. The undulations at the edges 

 gradually increasing in distinctness, the waterspout grew less 

 elongated, and the bottom turned in a direction contrary to the 

 wind, which below still remained in the same point. The cloud 

 above had now become less dense, while the one below increased 



