12 REPORT—1840. 
On a remarkable Rainbow observed by Mr. Bowman. Communicated 
by Sir Davip BRewsTER. 
“ On Tuesday morning last, soon after sunrise, as the ‘ Commodore’ 
steamer, from Liverpool, was making her way up the estuary of the 
Clyde, a very perfect and brilliant rainbow was observed by the pas- 
sengers on deck, accompanied by a larger outer bow, with fainter re- 
versed colours, as is not very unusual under the ordinary conditions of 
rain and sunshine. Nearly in contact with the inner edge of the brighter, 
or primary bow, were four distinct though smaller ones, parallel to and 
equidistant from each other, not perfectly continuous, but formed of 
interrupted segments of circles, the colours of each diminishing in in- 
tensity, the faintest being the innermost. In all these minor bows the 
red and orange were the only colours that were distinctly seen. ‘The 
water being smooth, the reflexion from its surface was so strong that 
the normal and secondary bows seemed to be continued below the ho- 
rizontal line, bending inwards till they almost met and formed nearly~ 
two complete concentric circles, the reflected images being scarcely 
less brilliant than the bows themselves. The rain drops were few, 
though larger than ordinary, and the reflected image of the sun ap- 
peared as a broad band of light on the smooth surface of the water, 
scarcely less dazzling to the eye than his direct rays. (Above the sun 
was a canopy of dark cloud, whose lower margin nearly touched his 
upper limb, and was parallel to the horizon.) I first observed a faint 
perpendicular light on the north side of the primary bow, and apparently 
in contact with its outer margin, and as though diverging from it in a 
tangent. By degrees this shot up higher, and acquired the prismatic 
colours, which were clearly in the same order as in the primary bow, 
though fainter. Shortly afterwards a similar tangent was seen on the 
opposite side, in all respects corresponding, both extending upwards 
to about the height of the large outer bow. My friend Dr. Black, of 
Manchester, who was present, first suggested that the lengthened image 
of the sun upon the smooth water might probably produce these up- 
right lateral columns, the image in this case acting the part of the lu- 
minary himself. We had soon an opportunity of testing the soundness 
of this solution, for in a little time the upper limb of the sun came in 
contact with the lower edge of the cloud, and as he very gradually dis- 
appeared behind it the primary bow became fainter and fainter, till at 
length it faded entirely away. But the upright lateral columns re- 
mained, nay, for a short time appeared brighter and higher, and only 
disappeared when the more complete obscuration of the sun destroyed 
the reflexion of his light upon the water.” 
On remarkable Rainbows. By the Rev. J. Fisuzr, M.A., of Rosebank, 
Dumfries. 
The observations were made on Monday, Ist of June, 1840, while 
travelling by the coach from Glencairn Manse to Dumfries, nearly at 
sunset (8 Pp. M.), the sun being bright and the sky only very partially 
