THE 



E N T O M O T. O G I C A L MAGAZINE. 



APRIL, 1838. 



Art. XXXI. — Notes on Madeira. By William Christy, 

 JuN., F.L.S. &c. 



Nov. 10, lS37.—Sklp Julia, 45o iV. Lat. 8^ 3' W. Long. 



Bay of Biscay. — Certainly this is not a very entomological 

 locality, but here we lie with the water as smooth as a millpond. 

 So far, we have seen nothing to break the monotony of our 

 passage ; — not a single piece of gulf-weed, a dolphin, or Por- 

 tuguese man of war, has been observed. Though wet, and 

 apparently cold, the thermometer on deck does not fall be- 

 low 58°. 



iSth. — Yesterday was rather a cloudy day, but very fine in 

 the evening; the thermometer, at 7 p.m. being 62°. For nearly 

 an hour our attention was rivetted on a superb Aurora Borealis, 

 which covered nearly one half the sky with a deep crimson, 

 and contrasted strongly with the brilliant moonlight.'' There 

 was, however, no appearance of meteors during the night. At 

 nine o'clock this morning the thermometer on deck stood at 

 64°. 



lA^th, — This evening, about eight o'clock, we were called on 

 deck to witness the rare phenomenon of a lunar rainbow. The 

 moon and stars are most brilliant. Venus is like a little sun. 

 We have almost lost the Great Bear, which can no longer 

 support its Virgilian character of " Metuens a^quore tangi." 

 About ten o'clock we were again roused to behold the Aurora 

 Borealis in one of its sublimest forms. Half the heaven was 



* It was observed at the same time in London in tlie N.W. 

 NO. IV. VOL. v. R R 



