Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 439 
ON THE AURORA BOREALIS OF NOVEMBER 18TH, 1835, as 
WITNESSED AT COLLUMPTON IN DEVONSHIRE. BY N.S. 
HEINEKEN. 
To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science. 
GENTLEMEN, 
In the Number of the Philosophical Magazine for this month 
(February) there appears to be a mistake in the date given by Mr. 
Sturgeon for the occurrence of the Aurora Borealisin November last, 
and that we should read the 18th instead of the *« 16th of Nov. 1835.” 
If such should be the case, allow me to state that my attention was 
called, by a friend, to the same phanomenon on the evening of the 
18th of November. The aurora was seen here about a quarter be- 
fore nine o’clock, but I did not observe it until half-past, at which 
time it presented precisely the appearance described by Mr. Stur- 
geon. Waves of light appeared to roll, in rapid succession, from 
the horizon to the zenith, which were succeeded by columns, some- 
times of a yellowish and at other times of a lilac tint. The light of 
the aurora was sufficient to produce a shadow upon a white wall, 
and to enable me to ascertain the hour by my watch. Several me- 
teors were seen; one of these, at nearly fifteen minutes before ten 
o'clock, had almost the brilliancy and apparent magnitude of Ju- 
piter. It passed from towards the north to the west. The dura- 
tion of its course did not much exceed a second, and it left a train 
of reddish-coloured sparks, the length of which appeared to be 
equal to one half of the space passed over. Although I listened 
attentively, I heard no explosion. The state of the thermometer 
for the preceding day was, max. = 52°, min. = 44°. For the 18th, 
max.= 514°, min. = 34°. The depression in the temperature took 
place after the appearance of the aurora, for at ten o’clock that night 
the thermometer stood at 42°. I am, yours, &c. 
Collumpton, Devon, Feb. 3, 1836. N.S. HeInexen. 
[We have annexed to the notice of a paper by Mr. Christie in 
our report of the proceedings of the Royal Society, at p. 413 of the 
present Number, references to other communications relative to this 
aurora.—EpIr. ] 
LIEUT. LECOUNT’S REPLY TO MR. BARLOW. 
We have received a letter from Lieut, Lecount, informing us that 
he has published a pamphlet in reply to Mr. Barlow’s letter in our 
last Number, p. 291. He states the following as the points at issue be- 
tween them ; and our readers will have an opportunity of judging 
how far he has succeeded, by a perusal of his reply, which is advertised 
on the wrapper of our present Number. 
“ Mr. Barlow has called an ellipse, which vanishes with respect to 
depth at one end, a fishbellied rail ; and has asserted that it deflects 
4, when a parallel rail deflects 3. I have shown that it is the parallel 
rail which deflects 4, while the fishbelly only deflects 3. 
“« Mr. Barlow asserts 10 tons to be the longitudinal extension of 
iron. I assert that his own experiments only show 9 tons. 
