286 Parhelia, or [Book III. 



Similar to this appearance was one which occurred 

 to Dr. M'Fait, in Scotland. This gentleman obferved 

 a rainbow round his fhadow in a mid, when he was 

 fituated on an eminence above it. In this firuation 

 the whole country appeared to be immerfed in a vaft 

 deluge, and nothing but the tops of hills appeared here 

 and there above the flood ; at another time he obferved 

 a double range of colours round his fhadow*. 



The PARHELIA, or mock funs, are the moil fplen- 

 did appearances of this kind. We find thefe ap- 

 pearances frequently adverted to by the ancientr, who 

 generally confidered them as formidable omens. Four 

 mock funs were feen at once by Scheiner at Rome, 

 and by Mufchenbroeck at Utrecht; and feven were 

 obferved by Hevelius at Sedan, in 1661 f. 

 . The parhelia generally appear about the fize of the 

 true fun, not quite fo bright, though they are faid 

 fbmetimes to rival their parent luminary in fplcndor. 

 "When there are a number of them they are not equal 

 to each other in brightnefs. Externally they are 

 tinged with colours like the rainbow. They are not 

 always round, and have fometimes a long fiery tail 

 oppofite the fun, but paler towards the extremity. 

 Dr. Halley obferved one with tails extending both 

 ways. Mr. Weidlcr faw a parhelion with one tail 

 pointing up and another downwards, a little crooked ; 

 the limb which was fartheft from the fun being of a 

 purple colour, the other tinged with the colours of the 

 rainbow J. 



Coronas generally accompany parhelia, fome colour- 

 ed and others white. There is alfo in general a very 



PrieiHey's Hift. Opt. p. 600. f l b ' ld > P- 613. 



I Ibid. p. 614. 



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