70 M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson s Bay. 



with hooks, by means of which they seize upon and secure 

 their prey. The pupa is incurvated and subovate, with respi- 

 ratory tubes near the head. They appear to belong to the 

 species culex pipiens, being cinereous with eight brown rings; 

 the antennae of the male are pectinated. They abound prin- 

 cipally in the neighbourhood of marshes, low grounds, and 

 stagnant water. Wherever they fix their sting a little tumour 

 or pustule usually arises. The disagreeable itching which 

 this excites is most effectually allayed by the application of vo- 

 latile alkali ; the application of cold water also affords relief. 



The aurorse boreal is are not only singularly beautiful in 

 their appearance, but afford to travellers, by their almost con- 

 stant effulgence, a very beautiful light during the entire night; 

 sometimes, indeed, it diffuses a variegated splendour, which 

 is not inferior to that of the full-moon. They generally stretch 

 from north-east to north-west, and are much fainter in the 

 former quarter. In its appearance it resembles electrical light 

 when viewed in a vacuum. They always commence like a mist, 

 on the northern part of the horizon, which is then clearer to>vards 

 the west. This thickness of the air commonly arranges itself 

 in tb<e form of the segment of a circle. The point of its cir- 

 cumference that is visible soon acquires a border of a whiteish 

 light, which gradually increases, and from whence proceeds 

 one or several luminous arches. At this period the darting of 

 the coloured rays commences, some from the segment of a circle, 

 and others from the arch itself; by their motion, the space 

 which they bear always seems open, and their appearances 

 increase in motion and vividness of colour, with a propor- 

 tionate augmentation of the whole meteor. The various co- 

 ruscations cause an appearance of great confusion, and it occa- 

 sionally seems to vanish in part, speedily re-appearing with 

 increased splendour.* They are frequently accompanied with 

 a rustling or whizzing kind of noise. This I have never heard, 

 but have been informed of the fact by persons who have re- 

 sided many years in the country. 



Many attempts have been made to assign the immediate 

 cause of this phenomenon. Ever since the identity of light- 

 ling, and of the electric matter, has been ascertained, philo- 

 ophers have been naturally led to look for the explication of 



sopi 

 ri 

 believe, but little doubt that most of them, but particularly 



nerial meteors in the principles of electricity, and there is how, 

 doubt lli; 



!- 



* 1 have frequently hung a thermometer on deck while the light was most 

 intense, but could not observe that there was any elevation whatercr pro- 

 duced. 



