32 SIXTH RRPORT. — 18.3G. 



Isle of Wight, and it was proposed to extend the series along the 

 southern and eastern parts of England. From these observations it 

 appeared that the mean direction of the isoclinal lines in England 

 differed materially from the direction of the same lines in Ireland. 

 In England the mean inclination of these lines to the meridian (as 

 deduced from the obsen'ations by the method of least squares) ap- 

 peared to be about 68°, while the corresponding inclination in Ire- 

 land amounted to about 57° only. Professor Lloyd then proceeded 

 to state his conviction, that (owing to certain peculiar imperfections 

 of the dipping needle) differences of dip at different stations could be 

 ascertained with much greater accuracy than the absolute dips them- 

 selves ; and consequently that the mean direction of the isoclinal 

 lines, which depended on these differences only, could be determined 

 with more certainty than their absolute position. In reference to 

 this latter point Mr. Fox conceived that his observations warranted 

 him in concluding that there existed a dislocation of the lines of equal 

 dip in passing from England to Ireland. It remained still, however, 

 to be examined whether the results of observation may not be ade- 

 quately represented by a bending of the lines, such as that already 

 noticed ; and Mr. Lloyd expressed his hope of obtaining a sufficient 

 number of obser^-ations in other parts of England to throw light 

 upon this curious question. 



On the Aurora Borealis. By Wm. Hekapath. 



From obser\'ations made on the 18th November, 1835, the author 

 was led to entertain a different opinion as to the cause and condition 

 of this meteor from that which ascribes it to electrical cun-ents tra- 

 versing the aerial or setherial spaces at great heights above the earth's 

 surface. 



The phaenomena attending the auiora in question were connected 

 with the appearance and movement of clouds, and appeared to the 

 author to originate in the passage of electricity from a charged cloud 

 in the act of resolving in air which can receive the resulting water 

 but not the electrical fluid, which consequently while dispersing 

 through a rare atmosphere becomes visible to the eye. 



On the Aurora Borealis of llth August, 1836. By Dr. Traill 



In this aurora a luminous arch, 12° to 15° broad, passed from Co- 

 rona Borealis through Ursa Major to Auriga, and consisted of short 

 perpendicular cirri or rays, exhibiting the usual fitful horizontal 

 movement. Just below it was a dark cloud-like arched mass, whose 

 upper limb broke into short perpendicular dark cirri, more stationary 

 than the luminous cirri above. Later in the evening a column of 

 amethystine light shot up in the E.N.E., relieved on a dark back 

 ground, tinged of a faint violet colour. About midnight the arched 



