Notice of the Rarer Atmospherical Phenomena in 1824. 57 



the 2d of November at sea, in lat. 56° 5& N., long. 15° E., 

 and was perhaps as fine an appearance of the kind as has yet 

 been observed. For some time before its appearance, the 

 weather was extremely boisterous and rainy. It was first 

 seen at 11 P. M., and continued visible about half an hour, 

 bearing 1 from W.S.W. to E.N.E., reaching from horizon to ho- 

 rizon. Its colours were those- of the spectrum. Besides the 

 primary bow, there was a secondary one, in which the colours 

 were nearly as complete and brilliant as in the principal one. 

 During the appearance of the phenomenon, the wind was ex- 

 ceedingly variable, flying round the compass ; and after it 

 had disappeared, it blew a tremendous hurricane, with heavy 

 rains, which lasted twenty hours without intermission. Its 

 appearance, on the whole, was described by the observer, Mr 

 Kerr, as having been extremely beautiful, and in no respect 

 inferior to the most perfect solar iris. The moon was twelve 

 days old. Very few lunar rainbows, perhaps, have been seen 

 so fine as the one now noticed. The only one, of which a 

 description is published, that can be put in comparison 

 with it, is one noticed by Mr Howrrd, in his Climate of Lon- 

 don, as having been seen by a friend at Stoke Newington, on the 

 1st December 1808, a little after 5 A. M. " The moon was 

 nearly full, and setting to the north of west. The rainbow 

 was of unequal brightness. In the most northerly part of it, 

 near the earth, the prismatic colours were very distinct, in the 

 other parts they were scarcely distinguishable ; and it had, on 

 the whole, the appearance of a white arch. At the usual dis- 

 tance the secondary bow was visible. Opposite the brightest 

 parts at the north end, it was very strong and coloured, as 

 the inner bow in that place was.''' 



The third rainbow, which has been alluded to as having 

 been seen during this period, was observed at Leith on 

 the evening of the 9th November. The moon at the 

 time was nineteen days old : the night was somewhat windy, 

 with dark nimbi in the western part of the sky, and scud- 

 chials in the east, where the moon was. The cloud, by which 

 the rainbow was formed, was dark and heavy, obscuring the 

 whole of the western quarter of the sky. The rainbow was of a 

 dull white colour, and quite perfect. In about two minutes 



