Skey. — On the Aurora Australis. 407 



observed covering part of the sky in streaks which roughly 

 coincided with these bands." 



It may be interesting to give Captain Cook's remarks on 

 what was evidently a partial display of these luminous 

 streamers adorning the night sky of the south. In the course 

 of his'second voyage he remarks that " on the 17th February, 

 1773, a beautiful phenomenon was observed in the heavens. 

 It consisted of long colours of a clear white light shooting up 

 from the horizon to the eastward almost to the zenith, and 

 spreading gradually over the whole southern part of the sky. 

 These columns sometimes bent sideways at their upper ex- 

 tremity, and though in most respects similar to the northern 

 lights, yet differed from them in being always of a whitish 

 colour. The stars were sometimes hid by, and sometimes 

 faintly to be seen through, the substance of these southern 

 lights. The sky was generally clear, the air sharp and cold, 

 the ship being in latitude 58° south." 



I shall instance another display occurring recently, on the 

 evening of Sunday, the 28th of July, 1901, from my notes. 

 " This evening the whole sky from 6.30 p.m to 9.30 p.m. 

 was lit up with beautiful symmetrical bands of light, which 

 appeared to radiate from the S.W. horizon, and after crossing 

 the sky converged to the opposite or N.E. part of the horizon. 

 The only motion observed was a slow lateral one of the whole 

 bands towards the S.B. The moon (which was within three 

 days off the full) was surrounded by a very distinct and per- 

 fect halo of 30° diameter, of the same white colour as the 

 bands across the sky. The apparent convergence of these 

 bands at their ends as they approach the horizon is possibly 

 only the result of perspective. The sky was clear and the 

 wind N.E. 



" Observations as early as 1859 tended to connect solar 

 energy with intense magnetic action. Moreover, brilliant 

 auroral streamers were seen in both hemispheres on the 

 night following the solar disturbance, proving that a rela- 

 tion exists between the aurora, terrestrial magnetism, and 

 the central luminary of our system." 



It is remarkable that auroras and haios often occur to- 

 gether or near the same time, indicating a similarity of elec- 

 trical and atmospheric conditions as necessary for their pro- 

 duction. The year 1870 was characterized by the frequency 

 of these phenomena, and m the summary of sun-spot observa- 

 tions made at Kew the observers remark that " the year 1870 

 was characterized by an exuberance of solar energy which is 

 without parallel since the beginning of observations in 1825." 



I am enabled to give another instance of a daylight exhibi- 

 tion of these bands or arches, which occurred in the morning 

 of the 11th October, 1901. On this occasion it was noticed 



