VOL. LII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 333 



fined. Between 7^ \&^ and 7^ ^S*" the meteor was more than once partially 

 obscured, by the circumjacent clouds ; a very thick black one, which had been 

 visible from the moment he first perceived the phenomenon, then extending 

 itself almost from the western limb or edge of it to the sun. From the beginning 

 to the end of the mock-sun's appearance, about 18"", there was much clear sky 

 above the sun, even up to the zenith, and thick dusky clouds below it ; but the 

 tract both above and beneath the meteor w^as, for the most part, covered with 

 such clouds. When in its most refulgent state, the anthelion was as yellow as 

 the sun , but the lucid tract surrounding it was of a paler yellow, or whitish cast, 

 interspersed with a few reddish and subfuscous spots. The whole, when least 

 affected by the neighbouring clouds, seemed in extent to be 4 or 5 times the space 

 occupied by the disk of the sun. In fine, the phenomenon was sometimes 

 brighter, and sometimes more obscure ; varying, through the whole course of its 

 duration, according to the variation of the atmosphere and the clouds. At last, 

 after several short successive intervals of brightness and partial obscurity, it was 

 absorbed by the black cloud above-mentioned, nearly connecting it with the sun ; 

 and about 7^ SO'" totally disappeared. 



Instances of anthelia are extremely rare. Mr. S. had hitherto been able to 

 meet with only 2 of ihem, viz. that observed near Dantzic by Hevelius, Sep. 6th, 

 N. s. l66l ; and that seen at Wittemberg in Saxony, Jan. 18th, n.s. 1738, a 

 description of which was soon after communicated to the Royal Society by J. 

 Frid. Weidler, Professor of Mathematics there. 



/ 

 XFII. On a Production of Nature at Dunbar in Scotland, like that of the Giants- 

 Causeway in Ireland. By the Right Rev. Richard Lord Bishop of Ossory, 

 F.R S. p. 98. 



The passage into the harbour of Dunbar is very narrow, between two rocks : 

 one of them is the east side of the harbour; the other is a promontory, stretching 

 out about 100 yards to the north, and is about 20 yards wide, having the sea on 

 each side of it, when the tide is in. This head is a most extraordinary natural 

 curiosity : it is of a red stone, which is not a lime-stone, but appears rather like 

 a very hard free-stone. It looks on both sides like the Giant's-causeway in Ire- 

 land : the stones on the west side are from a foot to 2 feet over ; on the east side 

 they are large, from 2 feet to 4 feet. The pillars from 3 to 8 sides ; but only 

 one or two of the first and last : they may be said to be in joints, but are strongly 

 cemented together by a red and white sparry substance, which is formed in la- 

 minae round the pillars, and between the joints, 2 or 3 inches in thickness. The 

 interstices between the large pillars, which are but few, are filled with small pillars, 

 without joints. The pillars consist of horizontal laminae : the joints are not con- 

 cave and convex when separated, but uneven and irregular : they lie sloping from 



