:?20 Extra Meteorological Observations, Jan. 4. — July 18, 1844. 



ADDITIONAL METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 

 1844. 



d. h. m. 



Jan. 4 2 7. The clouds have broken up about the zenith into watery-looking woolly cirro-stratus and 

 thin milky haze, the horizon being still covered with dense clouds, and the sun quite 

 obscured. About 60° of a remarkable halo (or iris) is visible; its appearance is between 

 tliat of a rainbow and a coloured solar halo ; its centre at or very near the zenith, and the 

 radius somewhat greater than that of an ordinary halo, perhaps 2b' ; the brightest portion 

 being between the zenith and the sun's place. This was seen for about 2™ or 3", when it 

 disappeared, the clouds having become thicker in that part of the sky. Just as it 

 disappeared, another became visible to the South at an altitude of about 35°, its convexity 

 being turned in the same direction as that of the other ; as only a small portion of it was 

 visible, no estimation could be made of its radius ; it was seen in an opening in the clouds 

 similar to the first, and lasted about 1™. During the whole time a bright elongated 

 spot was in the NNE. at an altitude of 7° or 8°, like the sun's light struggling through 

 a cloud ; it disappeared about the same time as the second halo. 



A flock of wild geese seen flying towards SW. 



Sea-gulls seen flying towards the East. 



A meteor, somewhat brighter than Venus, burst near the star ^ Leonis ; its course was 

 in a line with Spica and ^ Leonis ; only a few degrees of it were seen. 



Flocks of wild geese and gulls flying towards the East. 



Several gulls seen about this time. 



A bat seen this evening. 



Large flocks of sea-gulls seen near the Observatory. 

 —10. Several shooting-stars seen ; one moved from Benetnasch past Mizar; another from 

 near the zenith towards the South ; another from near Altair towards the South ; another 

 moved westward between e Bootis, Mirach, and Alphecca; faint flashes of lightning, 

 supposed to have been seen to SE. The sky was watched till IS*"; no more shooting- 

 stars or lightning were seen. The latter is doubtful, as the stars twinkle much. IG*. A 

 shooting-star moved from near Cassiopeia towards the East. 

 17 7 • Woolly, mottled, and cirro-cumulous cirri ; mottled-edged and clearly-defined cirro-strati 

 detached from each other ; the woolly cirri, in large masses, radiating and moving from 

 about S. by W., the cirrous edges being turned upwards ; some very small patches of 

 loose scud rising on SE. horizon, and moving from SW. C?) ; hazy to E. ; cirro-strati 

 considerably lower than the cirri. 8''. Nearly as before ; sheets of cirro-strati nearly 

 cover the sky ; long strings of cirri ; a few patches of scud moving from about SW. 

 May 21 6 . Fine cirri ; cin-o-cumulous cirro-strati dropping in ragged fragments to SE. ; cumuli and 

 cumulo-strati ; scud on SE. horizon ; the ragged patches of cirro-cumuli are finely-rounded 

 cumuli on the tops, and only ragged below ; solar halo. 

 July 18 4 — 7- 4'' O™. Huge piles of cumuli and cumulo-strati reaching almost round the horizon, and 

 rising to 30° altitude ; some of them with cirrous tops ; sky milky. Thunder first heard 

 at 4^ 49"" to NNW. ; two other peals in about 2™ after, rather faint. 55"". Lightning 

 to NNW. at an altitude of 6°, the thunder heard in 14|s after the flash ; the flash had the 

 appearance, to one observer, of streaks diverging from a ball, and, to another observer., 

 of streaks meeting in a ball. 57". A streak of lightning farther West, followed by 

 thunder in 21^ S** 0™. Dark scud, nimbi; cumulo-strati, cirro-strati, cirrous haze; 

 black, with rain to NW. ; i-agged patches of scud below, moving from various points 

 from W., round by N. to E. 24"". Thunder continuing. 34". Thunder in 5* after 

 lightning. 50". Thunder to SW. 54". Thunder to SSW., 30^ after lightning, e"- 0". 

 Patches of loose scud moving from WNW., a few to S. moving from Eastward; a nearly 

 homogeneous mass of dense cirro-stratous clouds above ; thunder to SW. ; the clouds have 

 almost all lost the cumulous form ; a range of small masses of cumuli to NE., where 

 there is a patch of sky; rain^~* since b^. 6^ 1 — 2". A peal of thunder to SW., which 

 lasted 25", commencing softly, then bursting into irregular heavy rolls, and going off 

 softly. 6'' 17". Lightning to S. by E., near the horizon; thunder in 29^. ei" 40". 

 Slight peal to W. ; large piles of cumuli, with level bases on horizon from N. to NE. ; 



