58 Notice of the Rarer Atmospherical Phenomena in 1824. 



from the time when it was first observed, it began rapidly to 

 disappear. Its extremities first faded, and, in a few seconds 

 afterwards, there was no indication of it left. 



In the winter of 1782, three lunar rainbows were also 

 seen, which are described in the Philosophical Transactions, 

 and that was allowed to have been one of the most stormy 

 years that ever occurred in Britain. 



On the 23d November, we had a very low pressure, with 

 very strong N. E. gales, which seem to have been felt all 

 over the kingdom : the barometric column stood at 28.45 

 inches, near the level of the sea. It is worthy of remark, 

 however, that, although the wind blew most boisterously here 

 on the 23d, from N. E., yet it blew from the S. W. along 

 the shores of the English channel : — and there, it is stated to 

 have been " a most tremendous gale," " a most furious storm," 

 " the most tremendous hurricane ever experienced," and that 

 its effects were " most disastrous." 



On the 5th December, a beautiful illustration of the remark, 

 that the appearance of cirrocumuli prognosticates a rise of tem- 

 perature, occurred here. The morning of that day had been very 

 cold, (Therm, at T\ 22°,) but the temperature had gradually 

 risen through the day to 35°, and at four P. M. had begun to 

 descend again, when a fine display of cirrocumuli suddenly 

 appeared. The temperature immediately increased from 34° 

 to 38° and, contrary to the usual law, continued to rise 

 during the night, and next morning it was 44°. The pres- 

 sure at the same time diminished, and we had a heavy fall of 



rain. 



Almost every night at this period, fine Lunar Halos were 

 seen, generally with a diameter of 96° ; they were always sim- 

 ple. 



On the night of the 7th, about 11 P. M., the following 

 very singular phenomenon was seen. There were two very 

 large clrrostrati visible, both of a whitish colour, and very 

 dense, one of which occupied the zenith, and most part of 

 the S. W. and N. quarters of the sky, the other the east and 

 south-east horizon ; both were arranged in parallel bars, point- 

 ing nearly north and south. While examining attentively 

 these clouds, there appeared in the south, near the upper 



II 



