Notice of the Rarer Atmospherical Phenomena in 1824. 49 



the degradation of hills, than from the transportation of blocks. 

 The appearance may probably be explained by imagining 

 that the summit on which it now stands was once higher ; and 

 that, in the progress of waste, this mass has fallen from its 

 original position, on the solid rock on which it now lies ; over- 

 whelming in its fall a heap of smaller materials or rubbish, of 

 which the three supporting stones are the last remains. 



Art. VIII. — Notice of some of the Rarer Atmospherical Phe- 

 nomena observed in 1824. Communicated by the Author. 



The following descriptions and remarks, have been extracted 

 chiefly from a Meteorological Journal kept at Leith, and are 

 arranged in the order of time in which the phenomena were 

 seen. To these, for the sake of illustration, a short notice of 

 the general meteorological features of each month is added. 



January was remarkable for high temperatures, high pres- 

 sure, and little rain. The mean temperature of the month 

 was 40°.05. Rain fell on seven days, and that to the depth 

 of 0.90 of an inch. The mildness of the weather had the 

 effect of prematurely hurrying on vegetation ; so that, at 

 the end of January, it appeared as if summer was about to 

 commence. 



On the 21st, about 9 P. M., there appeared in the north, 

 a faint white light, but about 40° above the horizon, ex- 

 tending over a considerable space, and passing through the 

 zenith. It was not an Aurora ; but was arranged in distinct 

 diverging bars, which pointed towards the south, and gradual- 

 ly became fainter and fainter, till they disappeared. The light 

 was steady, very pale, and continued for a considerable time 

 without any visible change. The barometer was rising ; 

 thermometer 38° ; wind uncertain, quite calm. Next day 

 there was a storm from S. W., accompanied with heavy 

 showers of snow. Might not this appearance have been ow- 

 ing to a cirrostratus or groupe of cirri, illuminated by electri- 

 city in motion through them ? 



Towards the end of the month, several storms of wind oc- 

 curred, with variable, but not 1 ow, pressures, and great hu- 



vox. III. NO. I. JULY 1825. D 



