164 optical Phenomenon seen in Glennrc. [Sess. 



and they saw the pointed shadow of the peak lying on the 

 misty land. Soon a complete prismatic circle of about 8° 

 diameter, with the red outside, formed round the summit of the 

 peak as a centre. This meteorologist, knowing that with this 

 bow there ought to be spectral figu.res, waved his arms about, 

 and immediately found giant shadowy arms moving in the 

 centre of the rainbow. Two dark rays shot upwards and out- 

 wards on either side of the centre, and appeared to be nearly in 

 a prolongation of the lines of the slope of the peak below. 

 Three times within a quarter of an hour this appearance was 

 repeated as mist drove up in proper quantities, and fitful 

 glimpses of the sun gave sufficient light to throw a shadow and 

 form a circular rainbow. In every case the shadow and bow 

 were seen in front of land, and never against the sky. About 

 an hou^r later the sun again shone out, but much higher and 

 stronger than before, and then they saw a brighter, sharper 

 shadow of the peak, this time encircled by a double bow, and 

 their own spectral arms were again visible. The shadow, the 

 double bow, and the giant forms combined to make this phe- 

 nomenon a most remarkable one. 



The question very naturally occurs. Are these phenomena 

 frequent in this country ? Their production evidently de- 

 mands several atmospheric and physical conditions, not readily 

 found in combination except in mountainous regions — such 

 as sunlight ; mist or fog ; cloud (because this appearance has 

 been beautifully observed from a balloon) ; a considerable 

 elevation, such as a mountain-summit or a mast-head ; a 

 valley up which mist may be driven by a light wind to the 

 desired height ; and the necessary angle between the sun, the 

 observer, and the shadow. All the records of this phenomenon 

 I have seen give some or most of these conditions; and although 

 ours is a mountainous country, in which one would expect the 

 necessary conditions to be easily found, such phenomena do 

 not appear to be frequently recorded — more from the want of 

 observers, I believe, than from any other cause. We seem to be 

 getting more and more content to look at our mountains, evi- 

 dently satisfied that " distance lends enchantment to the view," 

 which in such a case it certainly does not, never dreaming of the 

 glories to be observed on looking from their summits, when 

 they have been actually climbed. 



