256 
watching the motions of the magnetometers in the Obser- 
vatory.- 
At half-past eleven o'clock, the streamers were very 
splendid, and covered the whole sky, appearing to spring, 
however, chiefly from the N. E. They were remarkable for 
the intensity of their light ; the irregularity of their forms (sel- 
dom affecting the usual rectilinear form ;) and their incessant 
dancing motion. At first, the flashes of light appeared 
in broad irregular masses, at considerable intervals over the 
sky, like scattered clouds illuminated by the moon, except 
that their appearance was momentary ; or (as they have been 
described) like the jets of illuminated vapour, shot from 
the boiler of a locomotive engine. About twelve o'clock, 
they spread themselves over the face of the sky, and ex- 
hibited a nearer approach to their usual form. At this 
period, a distinct point of convergence, a little to the S. E. 
of the zenith, was occasionally exhibited ; and a marked 
contortion of the auroral clouds, at this point, showed the 
tendency to the formation of the corona. ‘There was like- 
wise a stationary luminous cloud, to the S. E., which ap- 
peared to be connected with the phenomenon. 
After twelve o'clock, the brilliancy of the phenomenon 
in the upper part of the sky gradually lessened; but a very 
intense auroral light, with streamers, still remained in the 
N. W. The atmosphere was remarkably clear, and the stars 
very bright; the cloud-like patches of the aurora not 
seeming to present any obstacle to the transmitted light. 
There was a cold cutting wind, which came in gusts; and 
it seemed as if these gusts were simultaneous with the flashes 
of the aurora. 
Mr. Lloyd then presented a table, exhibiting the results 
of observation with the two magnetometers, one of which mea- 
sures the changes of declination, and the other those of the 
horizontal part of the earth’s magnetic force. The observa- 
tions commenced at 10" 25™, and were continued, at intervals 
