No. ]99.J 301 



In the winter of 1848 and '49, nature was very instructive to me. 

 A cold cycle commenced on the 31st day of December, between the 

 hours of 5 and 6 P. M., and continued till between 7 and 8 P. M., 

 of January 13th, being a term of 315 hours, or seven eighths of the 

 great circle of 360 hours. When this cycle terminated, the Aurora 

 lighted up the north, a rain-storm commenced which extended simul- 

 taneously over an extensive portion of the Northern Hemisphere. 

 The same night the city of Vienna, in Austria, was visited by a fear- 

 ful storm of thunder, lightning, wind and rain, tearing up the ice in 

 the rivers of Europe, and carrying dismay and destruction in its path 

 On comparing my records of temperature, which are made hourly 

 during the continuance of this cycle, with those of North Salem, West- 

 chester county. New- York, Franconia, N. H., and Granville, N. Y., 

 I found an agreement j the cycle having filled the same term at each 

 of those places. 



On the 5th of February, 1849, between 5 and 6 P. M., a cold 

 cycle commenced, and continued to February 11th at 9 A. M., mak- 

 ing 135 hours, or three-eighths of a circle of 360 hours. On trian- 

 gulating the records of my observations of this cycle with those of 

 North Salem, Granville and Franconia, the accuracy of my observa- 

 tion was verified. 



On the 12th of February, at about 2 A. M., a cold cycle commenced, 

 and continued till the 23d at 9 A. M., a term of 270 hours, or six- 

 eights of a circle of 360 hours. I watched the termination of this 

 cycle, as I did that of the 315 hours, with intense interest, and felt 

 almost overpowered by the emotions produced in witnessing this won- 

 derful developement of the laws of nature in the harmonies which 

 belong to the atmosphere that surround our beautiful earth. 



Thus far in the winter of 1849-50, two cold cycles have existed, 

 the first commenced January 13, between 3 and 4 P. M., and ended 

 on the 15th, between 12 M. and 1 P. M. ; filling an exact term of 

 45 hours, or one-eighth of a circle of 360 hours. On comparing 

 this record with hourly records of temperature kept by Thomas Scott, 

 Esq., at Cobourg, Canada, on the northern shores of Lake Ontario, I 

 find that at that place the cold cycle commenced on the 12th, be- 



