RECORD OP AURORAL PHENOMENA. 27 



slender faint beam, that passed about 4° east of the zenith and then instantly disappeared. A 

 horizontal stream extended from 219° to 54°, elevated about 20°. At 8h. 20m., a faint corus- 

 cation across the zenith. At llh. 20m., a brilliant, irregular, wreathed arch across the zenith, 

 from 279° to 99°, the interior motion passing rapidly from the horizon at the former bearing to 

 the latter. Soon afterwards, this arch twisted round, so that its extremities were directed to 

 122° and 234°; the internal motion very rapid. At llh. 30m., the coruscation had removed 

 from the zenith, and appeared in a line parallel to the horizon, extending from 99° to 234°. 

 At midnight, horizontal streams from 99° to 234°, and from 279° to 234°; but the latter had 

 the greater elevation. The needle drawn considerably to the westward. Just as I had left the 

 instrument, a flash darted from a beam 113° towards the zenith, and instantly a different Aurora 

 appeared tinged with the prismatic colors, having an agitated circular motion. A few seconds 

 afterwards, a beam flashed from 279°, and united with that which shot from bearing 113°; and 

 then a continuous though irregular arch was formed from the one horizon to the other, and the 

 interior motion passed rapidly from both these extremities towards the zenith. As long as the 

 arch continued in that direction, the needle pointed as at midnight; but in about two minutes, 

 the arch descended towards the east, and then the needle gradually returned eastward to its 

 zero, in which position it remained until the coruscation had disappeared. 



At lh. a. m., Aurora visible in patches 279° and 99°, and a beam 346°; the needle then stood at 

 348° 16', having moved eastward 34' since midnight. At 9h. p. m., January 15th, the needle 

 had attained the usual position at that hour; the Aurora then appeared in the zenith. At 

 midnight, a waving irregular arch continued across the zenith from 279° to 99°, and a rapid 

 interior motion passed from the former to the latter direction. Motion of the needle westward. 



16th. At 12h. 20m., faint streams from 99°, inclining to the westward. 



20th. At llh., an arch crossed the zenith; and at midnight, a patch appeared 54° lying parallel 

 to the horizon. 



21st. An arch from 99° to 212°, elevation about 10°. At midnight, a broad patch in the zenith. 

 Slender beams rose from 234° and 31°, which were prolonged to the zenith, and came almost 

 in contact with this patch ; at the same time, a low arch proceeded from 279° to 54°. Between 

 nine and midnight, the needle moved westward 32 minutes. 



22d. At 9h. p. m., an arched horizontal stream from 110° to 54°. At midnight no Aurora per- 

 ceptible, yet the needle had changed its position. 



23d, 9h. p. m. A brilliant arch across the zenith, from 279° to 99°, composed of slender beams 

 lying parallel to each other. The motion passed from 99° to the zenith. This arch separated 

 in the zenith. The westward part disappeared entirely, but a column of light remained at 99°. 

 Motion of the needle westward. At 12h., thick hazy weather; no Aurora visible. Needle 

 had moved eastward. 



24th, 9h. p. m. Two low arches extending from 99° to 178°. At midnight, the coruscations were 

 generally diffused over the upper part of the sky; but the streams traversed the zenith in a 

 different direction from the course they more frequently take, and their extremities were at 54° 

 and 234°. The most conspicuous beam, rising 245°, proceeded to the zenith, and curled round 

 so as to point towards 335°. The next in brilliancy came from bearing 76°, which also crossed 

 the zenith, but did not unite with the other beam. There were two other streams of light 

 running in the same direction. The needle had moved 48' eastward since nine, and in a con- 

 trary way to the course it usually followed when vertical arches crossed the zenith at about 

 279° or 324°. 



25th, 9h. p. m. A brilliant curve; terminations 324° and 76°, elevation about 50°. Several beams 

 jutted from this curve, pointing towards the horizon. At llh., abeam rose at 279°, passed 

 over the zenith to 99°, then ran horizontally, and formed an irregular band from 99° to 171°. 

 The portion of light at 99° was stratified by intervening layers of clouds. 



27th. A beam elevated about 13° at midnight whilst snow was falling. 



28th, 9h. p. m. An arch from 99° to 349°. At llh., the coruscation generally diffused over the 

 south and eastern parts of the sky, which seemed to have proceeded from a slender beam bearing 

 99°, from whence a flash darted to the zenith, which instantly dilated into a broad mass of light. 



