466- "De/eription of a Glory. 



Thefe were remarkably clofe, compacl, and 

 fliallow on the mountain j but, in the adjoining 

 valley (of Mold) they were thin, rare, and deep. 

 In the valley, the afmofphere and the clouds 

 feemed to be of the fame fpecific gravity. The 

 cloud on the mountain had a fliining bright- 

 nefs, where the fun fhone upon it, but was 

 extremely black where (haded by other clouds. 



In fome cafes, the cloud, in which a fimilar 

 appearance has been obferved, was thought to 

 be cCmpofed of frozen particles. It probably 

 was fo in the prefent inftance. For, fome hours 

 later, the fame evening, being on horfe-back, 

 and pafling through a like cloud, icicles had 

 formed on my hair, which by the motion of 

 riding, produced 3 found, like the ringing of 

 diftant bells. 



No coloured arch, like a rain-bow, I believe, 

 has ever appeared in a hail or fnow fhower : the 

 frozen drops are probably too opake, too diftant, 

 and too large to exhibit fuch colours. But the 

 proximity and the minutenefs of the frozen par- 

 ticles, in the cloud above defcribed, might 

 probably allow the rays of light to be reflefted, 

 and refrafted in a coloured circle. Experiments 

 on thin frozen furfaces in a prifmatic form, or 

 on fmall frozen particles of water, might fuc- 

 cefsfully illuftratc this curious fubject. Glafs 

 incrufted with ice may afford fome obfervations. 

 And the fun Ihining on a furface of fnow, 



covered 



