On the Aurora Borealis of July 1, 1887. 145 
clouds arose in the northwest and gave promise of a thunder storm, 
but about an hour before sunset they passed off to the northeast 
without much rain. At 6 P. M. therm. 78°, barom. 29.67 in., 
wind light from N. N. W. 
At 9h. 25m. just before the departure of twilight, the northern sks 
was observed to be faintly illuminated from W.N.W. to N.N.E., 
but much obscured by clouds. It soon became clear. At 9h. 38m., 
streamers began to form in the N., and soon after in N. E. and N. W., 
gradually becoming more frequent and increasing in brilliancy. At 
10h. 30m., the action was most energetic, and the scene eminently 
animated and beautiful. From E., N., and W., and all points be- 
tween, streamers shot up from nei the horizon in quick succession, 
with wonderful celerity and passed beyond the zenith, while others 
starting from an altitude of about 30° in the S. met the former about 
the’ corona in the constellation Ophiuchus. Auroral waves soon 
appeared, flashing upwards with great rapidity across the streamers 
and rolling up in wisps and sheets around the coronal point. The 
color of the streamers and waves was mostly a phosphoric white, 
but about 10h. 40m. for a short time a fine rose-red predominated. 
At 11h. 10m. the display was on the decline. By midnight it 
became quite faint, and the heavens were at the time much obscu- 
ted by clouds. About this period the light was mostly confined to 
the eastern horizon, where among the clouds were seen indistinct 
columns of red and white. About 1h. A. M., (July 2d,) the clouds 
dispersed, and the sky became exceedingly Cee and thus continand 
during the remainder of the night. , 
At 2h. the Aurora began to revive, and soon presented a specta- 
cle in many respects surpassing the former. At 2h. 10m. an indis- 
tinct arch about a degree wide, appeared, with vertex about 8° high 
in the N., between which and the horizon, the sky, although clear, 
seemed to be covered with dark vapor. From this arch arose broad 
streamers of a vivid yellowish white. Some of the streamers, how- 
ever, occasionally started from points in the dark space below the 
arch. About 2h. 30m., the display was at its maximum. From 
W.N.W. to E., the sky was filled with streamers, passing over head, 
and forming a corona in the constellation Cygnus. Along these col- 
umns or streamers, swept upwards immense auroral waves, nearly 
unbroken from the horizon to the magnetic equator. These col- 
umns remained in unabated splendor for fifteen minutes, and were 
visible until about 3. At 2h. 88m. the arch was extinct, and the 
Vou. XXXIII.—No. 1. 19 
