282 Aurora Borealis of November 14, 1837. 
Aurora was no longer visible.” It is probable that the clouds of 
which he previously speaks, obstructed the view. ‘The time at 
Alexandria is about 164 minutes earlier than at New Haven. 
At Richmond, Va., the magnificent corona formed between 
eight and nine o’clock, was observed by many persons, but from 
that place, no statements in detail have reached us. 
We come now to two communications from points much far- 
ther south than any of the preceding, and situated in latitudes so 
low, that the occurrence of an Aurora Borealis is there a phenom- 
enon of exceedingly rare occurrence. The first of these is a let- 
ter to Mr. Herrick, from Mr. W. A. Sparks of Society Hill, 8. 
C., in latitude 34° 35’ N., nearly. Mr. Sparks observes: “ My 
attention was directed towards the north early in the evening, 
(about six o’clock,) by an unusual luminous appearance, and after 
gazing intently for a while, I distinctly recognized what I had 
long and earnestly sought for without success, a “ bank or store- 
house” of auroral vapor. > * * When I first ob- 
served it, a space of about 15° above the horizon was strongly 
marked by a pale white light, above which the crimson hue pe- 
culiar to this phenomenon began to be distinctly visible. At this 
time, the greatest degree of brightness was to the east of north, 
assuming no very definite form, but extending, as well as I could 
judge, about eight or ten degrees east, and reaching in height to 
the constellation of Cassiopeia’s chair, the lower portion of which 
was enveloped in its reddening glow.” The action then subsided, 
but at about eight o’clock, another bright crimson column ascend- 
ed due north, attaining an altitude some degrees greater than that 
of the polar star, and maintaining its place about half an hour. Af 
ter this had faded away, no return was observed till about half 
past nine, when Mr. Sparks observes, “I again perceived another 
broad arch of crimson light, ascending several degrees to the 
west of north. The altitude of this latter column was greater 
than that of any of the preceding, but I regret to say that MY 
ardent desires to see it ‘sean the blue vault, and in the zenith 
glow,’ were not fully realized.” Time at Society Hill is about 
274m. earlier than at New Haven. At the moment of this last 
mentioned return observed by Mr. Sparks, the crisis of the action 
in our longitude was past. 5 Te 
The other communication just alluded to, is a letter addressed 
to Professor Silliman by Mr. J. Darby of Culloden, Geo., latitude 
