RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 31 



portion of the sky. Three arches appeared parallel to each other in the zenith, whose extremi- 

 ties pointed to 54° and 234°, and a horizontal stream about 30° high, reaching from 302° to 

 31°, along which the interior motion was extremely rapid. Soon afterwards, some dense clouds 

 overspread the sky, but the Aurora gleamed through. The needle moved near two degrees 

 eastward after nine. It kept an easterly position until after 2h. p. m. on the next day, and then 

 it receded 40' in the course of an hour. The clouds were of a fleecy kind, which sailors denomi- 

 nate a mackerel sky. At midnight, an irregular band extended from 88° to 200°, at an eleva- 

 tion of 15°. A beam at 324° pointing towards the zenith. 



March 1st. At 9h. p. m., an arch stretched from 99° to 155°. At ll^h., when the snow was 

 falling heavily, and a dense atmosphere obscured the stars, the Aurora appeared in an arch 

 across the zenith, having its extremities 88° and 200°, but did not extend to either horizon. 

 This stream disappeared before midnight. The atmosphere was then more dense, and the snow 

 descended in larger flakes. Between midnight and the following morning, the needle was drawn 

 45' to the eastward, and it did not recover its usual position before 9h. p. m. on March 2d. 



2d. At 8h. 30m. p. m., Aurora appeared in a broad arch from 279° to 99°, and continued without 

 any alteration until nine, when the needle had moved 32 minutes westward. The breadth of the 

 arch then increased considerably, and a dark cloud passing along its middle gave an appearance 

 of two arches. At miduight, the coruscations occupied many parts of the sky. Two faint 

 arches crossed the zenith from 99° to 279°. A more brilliant arch extended from 7G° to 290°, 

 at an elevation of 60°. Several patches between 54° and 346°, and a broad band from 279° 

 to 223.° The needle did not evince any material change. 



3d. At miduight, a slender beam at 76°, and a patch at 279°. Needle had moved 10 minutes 

 westward since nine. 



4th. At midnight, an arch across the zenith, 54° and 234°, in which the interior motion ran swiftly 

 from the former to the latter bearing. A low band extended from 279° to 346°. Motion of 

 the needle 10 minutes eastward since nine. 



5th. A low stream from 121° to 189°, at an elevation of 10°. No change in the position of the 

 needle. 



Gth. The atmosphere very hazy, and snow fell. No Aurora visible, but the needle moved 30 

 minutes westward between nine and midnight. 



8th. At 6h. 30m. p. m., Aurora appeared, whilst the western horizon was tinged with the rays of the 

 recently-departed sun, in two beams from 99° extended to the zenith. At 9h. p. m., a brilliant 

 stream from 121° to 212°, elevated 10°. A beam, having a wavy form, ascended from 99° to 

 the zenith ; its color a bright yellow ; the stars were seen distinctly through it. No change 

 in the needle. At midnight, Aurora was diffused over a great portion of the sky. A broad 

 arch crossed the zenith, whose extremities were at 88° and 200°, but they did not reach either 

 horizon. A band stretched from 279° to 76°, elevated 12°, from which three beams were pro- 

 longed nearly to the zenith, between 302° and 335°. Needle moved 1° 5' westward. 



9th. At nine, Aurora brilliant and variable; the interior motion passed rapidly from 234° to 54°. 

 An arch across the zenith, extremities 279° and 99°. A horizontal band from 245° to 76°. No 

 change in the needle. At midnight, some patches bearing 324°. An arch was instantly pro- 

 jected from that, bearing across the zenith to 144°. This arch separated in the zenith, and 

 both parts passed off against the wind to the westward. The needle moved 30 minutes westward 

 between nine and lib. 30m. 



11th. At 9h. p. m., a waving arch passed from 290° to 88°, about 2° east of the zenith, and 

 reached from one horizon to the other. An elliptical arch from 313° to 76°, elevated about 50°. 

 At llh., two waving streams stretched from 279° to 43°, and some beams shot from both these 

 extremities towards the zenith, but more numerously from 279°. The needle had moved 1° 8' 

 westward, between nine and eleven. Whilst I was looking at the instrument, a flash darted 

 towards the zenith from a low beam bearing 9°, and the needle immediately moved 8' westward; 

 but the arch having in a few seconds passed over to the south, the needle returned eastward to 

 its first position. At midnight, a beam arose at 54°, darted to the zenith, and then the upper 

 extremity turned so as to point to 144°. Another beam darted from 257° and joined the former 

 one. The arch thus formed descended gradually against the wind. There was only a slight 



