IGNIS FATUUS. S!)3 



the pale of your Magazine/ I am quite certain that the whole, 

 or any part you may think proper to reprint, will be read with 

 pleasure by every true lover of nature, be he meteorologist or- 

 riot. George Wailes. 



P.S. M. Blesson's account of a thunder-storm he en- 

 countered on a mountain near Teschen, is the most extraordi- 

 nary I ever read. 



Observations on the Ignis Fatuus, or Will-with-the-Wisp, FalUnn 

 Stars, and Thunder Storms. By L. Blesson, Major of Engi- 

 neers, Berlin. 



The first time I saw the Ignis Fatuus, or Will-with-the-Wisp, 

 was in a valley in the Forest of Gorbitz, in the Neumark. This 

 valley cuts deeply in compact loam, and is marshy on its lower part. 

 The water of the marsh is ferruginous, and covered with an iridescent 

 crust. During the day bubbles of air were seen rising from it, and 

 in the night blue flames were observed shooting from and ])laying 

 over its surface. As I suspected that there was some connexion 

 between these flames and the bubbles of air, I marked durino- the 

 day-time the place where the latter rose up most abundantly, and 

 repaired thither during the night ; to my great joy I actually ob- 

 served bluish-purple flames, and did not hesitate to approach them. 

 On reaching the spot they retired, and I pursued them in vain ; all 

 attempts to examine them closely were ineffectual. Some days of 

 very rainy weather prevented further investigation, but afforded 

 leisure for reflecting on their nature. I conjectured that the motion 

 of the air, on my approaching the spot, forced forward the burnino- 

 gas ; and remarked, that the flame burned darker, when it was 

 blown aside ; hence I concluded that a continuous thin stream of in- 

 flammable air was formed by these bubbles, which, once inflamed, 

 continued to burn — but which, owing to the paleness of the lio-ht of 

 the flame, could not be observed during the day. 



On another day, in the twilight, I went again to the j^ilace, where 

 I awaited the approach of night : the flames became gradually 

 visible, but redder than formerly, thus shewing that they burnt 

 also during the day ; I approached nearer, and they retired. Con- 

 vinced that they would return again to the place of their origin, wlien 



» Whilst a doubt exists on this interesting subject it is certainly a very appro- 

 priate one for our pages, and we confess that doubt does still exist in our own 

 mind. — Ed. 



NO. IV. VOL. I. Z Z 



