MB, BATED ON THE AURORA BOREALIS. 49 



partially conveyed to my ears, or that it was the effect of imagination ; 

 but I was afterwards informed that the same sound was heard on the 

 same evening, in the neighbourhood of Cockburnspath, and the hearer 

 describes it as somewhat resembling the low but quick flap of a bird's 

 wing. I state this with much diffidence, however, well knowing the 

 discrepancy of opinion upon this point. A few nights after this, there 

 was another ahnost equally brilliant display, and since that they 

 have been of no unfrequent occurrence, though not to any extent. 



It is a general opinion that a bright or frequent display of these 

 beautiful meteors betokens bad weather ; and though I am not 

 acquainted with the results which learned men have come to upon 

 this subject, I am aware that this inquiry has called forth the observa- 

 tions of several meteorologists, and that the scientific M. Ai^ago of 

 Paris, in particular, has bestowed much attention on the subject, and 

 I believe has had frequent communications from naturalists in this 

 country concerning it. I am sorry that I cannot bring forward here, a 

 detailed account of the weather as it immediatelj^ succeeded the appear- 

 ances I have attempted to describe ; and owing to the delay attending 

 the forwarding of his meteorological instruments from Edinbui'gh, I 

 have not been able to avail myself of the meteorological diary or 

 journal which the Eev. Mr Wallace of Abbey St Bathan's some time 

 ago kindly promised to furnish the Club with, and with which I had 

 hoped to have been able to supply the want of my own observations. 

 A general recollection, however, remains of the weather following 

 these appearances, which will, perhaps, be sufficient, in the meantime, 

 to shew the probability of the opinion, that they are precursors of 

 stormy weather. The day following the first exhibition, the sky in 

 the forenoon presented the appearance of an immense niunber of finely 

 pointed and waved linear " cirri," not very unlike the long streams of 

 light seen on the preceding evening. These soon became mixed with 

 the "comoid" variety of "cirrus," or taare's tails, accompanied with 

 some specimens of the "plumose" variety, which latter varieties are 

 generally acknowledged by meteorologists to be precursors of wind and 

 rain. The latter part of September, it will perhaps be remembered 

 by many, was characterized by blustering changeable weather, storms 

 of wind arising at frequent intervals, shattering the trees, and stripping 

 them of their leafy glory. Owing to their being chiefly from the 

 west, however, little or no damage was done on this coast. About 

 twenty-four hours after the appearance of the second display I have 

 mentioned, a fierce storm of wind arose, accompanied with heavy 

 showers of rain : the weather became cold and dismal, and on the 14th 

 October the Cheviot Hills, a little to the south of Yetholm, were covered 

 with snow. About the same time the Tweed and Teviot were 

 swollen to their banks, and a series of broken and severe weather con- 

 tinued for some time. Frost and snow since then have been but little 

 felt, but it cannot have escaped the notice of all the members of thQ 

 B. N. c. — NO. II. D 



