Royal Irish Academy, 99 



a deep blue sky. But the distinguishing appearance was, that large 

 masses of this light, especially towards the east and norlh-east, were 

 of a blood-red colour, which presented a vivid contrast to the blue of 

 the sky beneath. A large patch of this red light, about 40° from the 

 horizon to the eastward, was the most remarkable. It continued di- 

 stinctly visible for upwards of half an hour j and its motion was so 

 rapid chat in this time it had advanced from about due east to a point 

 nearly south-east. 



** There was a mass of tc/ii/<? streamers to the north, which reached 

 nearly to the zenith, and pointed somewhere between the magnetic 

 and due north. At half past ten o'clock, a brilliant and well-defined 

 stream of light of the blood-red colour appeared a little to the south 

 of west, and seemed to be a disjointed portion of the eastern red mass 

 A few minutes after its appearance, a large mass of white auroral 

 light began to rise rapidly from the northern horizon j at the same 

 time the northern streamers became much more vivid, and took a 

 fan-like appearance, converging to a point not far from the zenith. 

 There was no appearance, however, of Corona. Shortly after (about 

 IQh 40""), a portion of the light of these streamers, about midway 

 between a Ursee and Polaris, assumed the unusual blood-red tint, and 

 continued of this colour for several minutes. 



** Before 1 1 o'clock all the peculiar appearances had nearly gone ; 

 and there remained nothing but the faint luminous clouds, with light 

 streamers to the N.N.W. These streamers were still playing at 12 

 o'clock, and extended from the zenith to within about 3U° of horizon. 



"The thermometer stood at 38° Fahr., and the barometer at 29786 

 inches. The wind was dry and piercing*." 



Professor Lloyd read a note on a new electrical phaenomenon. 



March 16. — This being the day of the annual election, the 

 following Officers and Members of Council were chosen for the en- 



* The following note, by Mr. Bergin, supplies the account of the early 

 part of the phaenomenon : — 



" On alighting at the Dunleary station at 7 o'clock, (from the Railway,) 

 we observed a magnificently coloured crimson Aurora as a broad mass to 

 the westward ; and our first impression for a moment was, that it was the 

 light from one of the engine furnaces reflected from a cloud of steam. It ex- 

 tended from near the horizon towards the zenith, with frequent flashes or 

 streamers within itself. From the main mass, round by the north, and on 

 ward to the east, the whole sky had a crimson or carmine tint ; and were 

 it not for the brilliant moon (near the full) I do believe the splendour would 

 have equalled any I have ever heard of. * * * * The Aurora assumed the 

 general appearance of an arch ; the first observed mass to the westward 

 being one leg which faded away toward the zenith, where there was a steady 

 circular patch of great hrilliancy of colour, and from thence, separated by 

 a small interval, was a faint limb descending to the eastern horizon. * * * 

 These appearances continued with scared v any change till near 8 o'clock. 

 About 9 o'clock the general appearances were much the same, save that the 

 eastern limb of the arch was not viv,ible, and the western much more in- 

 tensely coloured, and like a steady column. * * * * Throughout, its limits 

 had heen well defined ; and it was perfectly transparent, stars of the third, 

 and j>€rhaps the fourth magnitude being seen through it." [See Lond. and 

 Edinb. Phil. Mag., vol. x. pp. 206, 494.] 



02 



