360 Scientijic Intelligence. — Meteorology. 



METEOROLOGY. 



4. Remarkable Coldness of the late Spt-'mg. — The cold and 

 backward spring which we have had in this country has been 

 the subject of general remark. Dr Forster, who has lately re- 

 turned from the Continent, has made a corresponding remark 

 abroad. The crops, and particularly the garden productions 

 and flowers, have been nearly a fortnight later than usual, al- 

 most all over Germany and the northern parts of France. At 

 Spa, the season was so cold and unpleasant that most of the 

 visitants had left it to travel elsewhere, till there were some 

 signs of summer ; and thei'e was ice on the water near Liege on 

 the morning of the 8th of June. The thermometer during the 

 day did not rise higher than 58° of Fahrenheit ; and a cold dry 

 wind seemed to threaten a total destruction of vegetation. 

 Paris, however, we understand, was comparatively warm, and 

 the climate seemed to change for the better on passing Arras 

 into France. — Annals of PMhsophy., Sept. 1829- 



5. Changes of Climate at Shiraz. — Since the last earthquake, 

 the climate of Shii'az has very much changed from its former 

 salubrity. The water in the wells has risen very near the sur- 

 face. Where formerly there were ten and fifteen yards of line, 

 there are now only three or four ; therefore the increased eva- 

 poration has, it is supposed, been the cause of a deleterious at- 

 mosphere in the plain. — Alexander\t Travels, p. 125. 



6. Effects of the Aurora Borealis on the Magnetic Needle. — 

 When I first observed the luminous appearances of Tuesday, 

 August 28th, at 10 v. m., I placed a horizontal needle, deli- 

 cately mounted, in the window of my room, which was in the 

 northern side of the house, and a dipping-needle about ten feet 

 distant in another window. On examination, I found that nei- 

 ther would come to a state of rest. The mean of the extremes, 

 in the horizontal needle, was at least 5° west of the magnetic 

 meridian. After marking the extremes on a paper card, fixed 

 in the window for the purpose, I left it. The dipping-needle, 

 which oscillated from 64<° to 75°, was in constant agitation, and 

 very irregular in its motions ; sometimes rising to nearly 60°, 

 and remaining for a moment with a tremulous motion, and then 

 sinking back to 75° or 76°, having a mean dip of 69^ ", which 



