METEOROLOGY. 331 



observed a 0111111)61 of oscillations or waves pass along its meridian 

 portion longitudinally. These waves were slow in progress, and some- 

 what gyratory in appearance. Only a faint illumination was observed 

 in the north. 



Rainbow . 



July 12. — "When the sun had been hidden nearly fifteen minutes by 

 the western hills, and was just on the point of passing below the plane 

 of the horizon, I saw a beautiful rainbow. The bow was entire, and 

 of splendid prismatic hues. Fragments of a secondary bow were seen. 

 The bow in a few minutes showed a great preponderance of red rays, 

 and did not disappear until the moment of sunset. 



# Aurora horealis. 



Sepfeniher 2. — In the evening, observed an auroral exhibition. At 

 first, a dark segment of a circle appeared in the magnetic north, 

 about 10^ in altitude at its culminating point. This was soon beset 

 around its exterior with brilliant rays of a yellowish white. These 

 rays extending out laterally shortly formed a serpentine arch, still 

 with the black beneath. Then a few streamers shot upwards towards 

 the zenith. Shortly afterwards these phenomena died away, and the 

 northern sky remained quite luminous, with here and there patches 

 of cirrus in iilmentous wisps. I saw several small stars through the 

 dark auroral vapor first observed. 



1854 — March 26. — In the evening observed brilliant aurora hore- 

 alis. Saw a fine auroral arch, having an altitude from the northern 

 horizon of above 45°, and reaching from the eastern to the western 

 horizon. Width of arch about 10°. I saw many minor exhibitions 

 of the aurora horealis during the winter of 1853-'54. 



Ma7'ch 21). — In the evening I observed a beautiful auroral meteor. 

 It resembled the tail of a huge comet, proceeding from a nucleus about 

 10° north of Sinca Virginis. It lay along below Leo Major, branching 

 out into two bright streams, with a fainter dawn between, the northern 

 branch reaching a Canis Minoris, and the southern terminating a few 

 degrees north of Canis Major. The above was its appearance at 8A. 

 \hm. It was very brilliant, and remained visible for sometime. 



May 16. — In the evening saw a fine auroral arch, having an alti- 

 tude of 70° in the north. It was composed of a great number of short 

 transverse streamers 2° or 3° apart. 



Rapid oscillations in refraction. 



September 4. — In the evening I observed rapid vertical oscil- 

 lations in the lunar orb, when crossed horizontally by thin cirrus 

 bands ; the latter projected in perspective on the lunar disk, reminding 

 one of the belts of Ju[)iter. She appeared to rise and i'all rapidly in 

 the vertical through about |^° arc : corresponding fluctuations being 

 observed in the shadows of objects in her light. A number of other 

 persons observed the phenomenon, which lasted about ten minutes. 



