appears to subsist between it and the Formation of Clouds. 43 



immense number of flashes of sheet lightning were noticed, about 

 two or three per minute on an average, or probably not less than 

 300 in the course of two hours. These were all observed in the 

 east, none having been seen in the west. They flashed along the 

 cirrostratus bars which extended along the eastern horizon, illu- 

 minating with a quivering light the upper edge of the east cirro- 

 stratus bank. A most remarkable feature was the frequent ap- 

 pearance, at the S.S.E. point, of a very bright flash, from which 

 the electricity proceeded with greatly diminished brightness along 

 the east cloud bank. It always appeared suddenly at the same 

 point, and sometimes looked like a large fire-ball, but was too 

 rapid in its motion to be defined by the eye. In N.N.W. there 

 was a strong luminosity, but here of course the remains of twi- 

 light were mixed up with the electrical light. There was a dead 

 calm all the time. 



" October 30, 10 h p.m. Cirrostrati from N.N.W. to S.S.E. 

 Auroral (?) luminosity in N.N.W., whence the streaks seemed 

 to radiate. No streamers. Though dark-looking, the cirrostrati 

 only dimmed the stars under which they passed. The display 

 was very striking and beautiful. 



"1851. Jan. 3, 10 h p.m. A peculiar luminous appearance in 

 N.E., from the horizon up to Coma Berenices. It somewhat 

 resembled in appearance the zodiacal light, but was not so well 

 defined. Symptoms of the formation of cirrostrati were exhi- 

 bited in various parts of the sky at the same time. 



"Feb. 7, 10 h p.m. A luminous haze over all the sky above 

 the dense clouds. For a time the intensity of the light was 

 greater than I ever before noticed from such a cause. There 

 were also a few flashes of sheet lightning. Soon after a gentle 

 rain began to fall; wind S.W. 



" Sept. 29, ll h p.m. Hazy luminosity over all the sky, under 

 which cirrostrati ranging N.N.W. to S.S.E., and passing into 

 cirrocumuli and luminous curdy-looking cumuli. Faint aurora, 

 without streamers. 



"1852. Feb. 19 to 27. Some remarkable displays of the aurora 

 borealis and other meteoric appearances. The following are a 

 few brief notices of the more striking features exhibited, as seen 

 from this locality. 



" On the night of the 19th of February the aurora surpassed 

 in splendour any display which has been observed here since the 

 memorable aurora of the 17th of November 1848. The lumi- 

 nous coruscations covered the whole of the northern half of the 

 sky, and the southern as far down as an arched line passing 

 through the constellation Leo, about a degree below Procyon 

 and through the lower part of Orion. The corona was beauti- 



