SEEN AT KIRKBY LONSDALE. 385 



ing that many of those steady glows which occa- 

 sionally light up the northern sky, are the effects 

 of the Aurora, whilst its principal display is below 

 the observer's view ; possibly below the pole 

 of the earth. Another remarkable circumstance 

 is, that the grandest and most frequent displays of 

 the Aurora Borealis, are on the winter side of the 

 equinoxes : or from the autumnal to the vernal 

 equinox. Moreover, these displays are generally 

 during an early part of the night, and often com- 

 mence on the eastern side of the northern meri- 

 dian : and but very seldom if ever, on the western 

 side. These circumstances seem to have some re- 

 lation to the position of the sun, at the times of 

 their occurrence, and to favour the idea of a west- 

 erly motion in the Aurora. 



That heat disturbs the natural electrical equili- 

 brium of bodies is well known ; and from the uni- 

 versal maxim in physics, viz. that no two bodies 

 can occupy the same place, at one time, there is 

 much reason to suppose that, where heat prevails, 

 the electric fluid must give way. I am not aware 

 that we have any direct experimental fact in sup- 

 port of this view, but indirectly we have : for a 

 conducting wire forming a connection with the two 

 poles of a voltaic battery, will not transmit as much 

 3 D 



