Introductory notice to IIcrricTi's Auroral Register by Professors 

 Elias Loomis and II. A. Newton^ to xohom the editing of Mr. 

 Herrick^s observations was committed. 



Edward C. Herrick was born in New Haven, Feb. 24tli, 1811. 

 His advantages for early education were good, and they were faith- 

 fully improved ; but a chronic inflammation of the eye-lids prevented 

 his receiving a collegiate education, which he always lamented as a 

 disadvantage. 



At the age of about sixteen he became a clerk in a book-store, and 

 he continued in the book-business, either as clerk or proprietor, for 

 about a dozen years. In 1843, he was appointed Librarian of Yale 

 College, and in 1852 Treasurer of the College, which oflice he retained 

 until his death, which occurred June 11, 1862. 



Although Mr. Herrick was by profession a business man, he had 

 an ardent love for science, and devoted nearly all the time which he 

 could call his own, to the study of various subjects, but particularly 

 Natural History and Meteorology. As early as 1832, he became 

 deeply interested in certain questions connected with Natural His- 

 tory, which he prosecuted for many years with iintiring zeal. 



The remarkable display of meteors, Nov. 13, 1833, stimulated his 

 curiosity, and from that time to the very close of his life, he was one 

 of the most indefatigable observers of meteors, whether in America 

 or in Eui'ope. 



In 1826, when only fifteen years of age, he commenced a meteoro- 

 logical journal, making observations with the greatest regularity four 

 times a day, and continued it without interruption for five years. It 

 was subsequently resumed, and continued for several years longer, 

 though with various interruptions. In this journal, as early as 1827, 

 he made a most scrupulous record of every aurora Avhich he observed. 

 The remarkable aurora of Nov. 17, 1835, combined with those of 

 April 22, 1836, and Jan. 25, 1837, excited a deep interest among sci- 

 entific men in New Haven, and stimulated Mr, Herrick to undertake 

 that careful record of auroras which is herewith published. 



In the spring of 1837, Dr. William Tully, Professor of Materia 

 Medica in Yale College, had arranged to spend a few weeks at Cas- 

 tleton, Vt., a place about 125 miles north of New Haven; and Mr. 

 Herrick made an agreement with him to observe in concert for auro- 

 ras. It was decided to make a record every evening, stating whether 

 the sky was clear or overcast ; and whenever an aurora was seen, to 

 describe its peculiarities with minuteness. Dr. Tully's record ex- 

 tended from March 8th to June 5th, and again from Aug. 10th to 

 Oct. 27th. The result of these comparisons confirmed Mr. Herrick 

 in his opinion of the utility of such a record, and henceforth his au- 

 roral register was continued for seventeen yearSj with only a few un- 



