REV. JAMES FARQUHARSON ON THE AURORA BOREALIS. 105 



from the north ; — and that the only conditions that can explain and reconcile 

 these appearances are, that the pencils of rays (streamers) of the aurora bo- 

 realis are vertical, or nearly so, and form a deep fringe, which stretches a great 

 way from east to west at right angles to the magnetic meridian, but which is 

 of no great thickness from north to south ; and that the fringe moves south- 

 ward, preserving its direction at right angles to the magnetic meridian." 



In the paper from whence these results of observation are quoted, I had not 

 entered into a minute detail of any individual observations, but had satisfied 

 myself with a genei'al description of an order in the appearance and progress 

 of the meteor, which I had repeatedly watched ; and a brief account and ex- 

 planation of some of the apparent irregularities ; hoping this might be sufficient 

 to direct other observers to watch likewise this remarkable order. I had also 

 not distinctly stated, although it was to be inferred from some parts of the de- 

 scription then given, that several successive arches of aurora often appear at 

 the same time within the field of view ; a circumstance of great importance 

 when considered in reference to the numerous observations so industriously 

 collected by Mr. Dalton. 



As I am aware the Royal Society justly prefers details of separate observations 

 to any more general descriptions, I shall now give an account of two or three 

 out of several observations I have had opportunity for making since 1823 ; the 

 results of which have been all confirmatory of the above views, with very 

 trifling modifications. Regarding the observations I had previously made, and 

 which opened up to me such peculiar views, I shall only now state, that it was 

 in the autumn of 1814 that I first distinctly observed the ordinary aurora bo- 

 realis, of long vertically-directed streamers, fairly make its progress from alow 

 northerly situation onward to the zenith, and assume there the form of a narrow 

 luminous belt, at right angles to the magnetic meridian. The discovery in- 

 spired me, at the time, with a high degree of satisfaction ; as the apparent 

 general confusion and wild irregularity of the aurora, when viewed in connec- 

 tion with the peculiar circumstance of its most frequently presenting itself in 

 all localities in some determinate relation to the magnetic meridian, admitted 

 now of easy explanation ; and a determinate arrangement and figure, and con- 

 stant order in the progress of the meteor, to my mind instantly became certain. 



On the evening of the 22nd of November, 1825, when returning to my own 



MDCCCXXIX. p 



