McLeod. — Atmospheric Phenomena. 381 



nothing could be seen of Kilbirnie or Newtown, the highest 

 hilltop near Karori only being visible from this spot. The fog 

 itself was met with halfway across the isthmus at the head 

 of Evans Bay, being so dense near Kilbirnie that my cycling 

 companion was not visible at thirty paces distance. In New- 

 town there was a considerable proportion of smoke in addition, 

 and the vehicular traffic in this part was impeded, and in one 

 or two instances cycle-lamps were lit as a precaution against 

 collision. 



The whole mist appeared to me to have been formed in 

 the Hutt Valley overnight and wafted seawards during the 

 morning, much as if it were a river, and gives one an idea of 

 the reason for the winds in Wellington always appearing to 

 blow from north or south points of the compass. 



I should like to record here the appearance of a cloud- 

 formation closely conforming to the shape of the harbour, at 

 a low altitude above it, on a calm night shorty previous to 

 the fog above mentioned. Travelling as I did from Wel- 

 lington to the Heads, there was a very good opportunity for 

 noticing the shape. Above the land all the way was a starlit 

 sky, but over the waters of the harbour was this cloud, 

 stretching from shore to shore, with starlight clearly show- 

 ing on the hills at the far side of Day's Bay. 



I should also like to record the observing of a phenomenon 

 which can best be described as having the appearance of an 

 aurora australis, but without the colouring of one. It was 

 noticed twice by me on clear starlit nights, and on both 

 occasions in a place surrounded by hills. The radiations were, 

 as far as could be judged, of a dun-coloured hue, and con- 

 verged towards the south, a clear view to the southern 

 horizon being cut off by the hills. There were no clouds 

 visible. I observed a similar phenomenon from the Napier 

 Breakwater in 1896, in which instance the radiations ap- 

 peared to spring from the east. The time then, however, 

 was 4 p.m., and the effect was caused by shadows of small 

 clouds which were in the path of the sun's rays. At the 

 time of the occurrence under notice there were no clouds, no 

 moon, and nothing which I could think of as a cause. The 

 locality was Miramar, and time 9 p.m. 



