WISLIZENUS — ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY. 9 



and presenting, probably for tbe first time on this continent, 

 such a complete series of observations on atmospheric elec- 

 tricity, it may prove interesting, not only to the meteorolo- 

 gist, physicist, and physician, but to every man who takes 

 pleasure in exploring the laws of nature and in gaining a 

 deeper insight into the mysteries of the physical world. 

 From the several thousand observations made, I drew conclu- 

 sions, at the end of the year. I summed up the qualitative and 

 quantitative result by the month, by the whole year, and by 

 the different hours of observation throughout the year. I com- 

 pared them with other meteorological phenomena and pre- 

 pared therefrom diagrams, which present to the mind, in one 

 view, the law of regularity and periodicity, by which atmos- 

 pheric electricity is governed. 



The following are the principal conclusions in regard to 

 atmospheric electricity, which I have deduced from my ob- 

 servations in 1861 : 



1st. Our atmosphere exhibits, almost always, electricity. 

 In some 2,200 observations of atmospheric electricity, the 

 instrument showed, but fifty-nine times, no appreciable action, 

 marked in the journal 0. This occurred generally after 

 thunder storms and rains, when atmospheric electricity had 

 been carried to the earth and exhausted, and was distributed 

 throughout the year in the following ratio : 



There was in April 1 



" " " May 1 



" " " June 8 



" July 1 



" " " August 6 



" " " Sentember 10 



" October 20 



" " " November 6 



" " " December 6 



59 times. 

 2nd. The normal state of atmospheric electricity is posi- 

 tive, and only exceptionally and temporarily is it changed 

 into negative. Thus in 2,124 observations, made at the reg- 

 ular hours, the atmospheric electricity was 2,046 times posi- 

 tive, and only 78 times negative. This negative state of 

 atmospheric electricity occurred 



3 times in January. 



G " " February. 



15 " " March. 



12 " " April. 



17 " " May. 



5 " " June. 



3 " " July. 



5 " " August. 



1 " " September. 



4 " " October. 



2 '• " November. 



5 " " December. 

 78 times. 



