474 
NATURE 
[ Oct. 13, 1870 
Between August 19 and September 9, the average of ozone 
registered was very great, being about cight by Schonbein’s test- 
paper. On the five days ending September 9, the quantity each 
morning was nine. During the longer period mentioned, humi- 
dity was also in excess. Ruin fell every day from September 
I to 9.* 
The weather during the last month has been very pleasant— 
we have not had more than one really wet day, and rain has 
generally fallen in the night. Though there have been no thunder- 
storms, we have had evidence of their occurrence in other parts 
by the presence of electrical cumulus. But the most remark- 
able phenomenon in connection with electricity was the appear- 
ance of an Aurora Borealis 7 the @xytime, which happened on 
the afternoon of September 4. 
I pointed this out (about 4 P.M.) 
in the form of thin reddish streaks resembling linear cirrhus, 
which radiated in a symmetrical manner from the north, at the 
same time anticipating a luminous appearance after nightfall. 
This took place: yet the light was not in the northern part of 
the heavens, but stretched clear across from W. to I. ina broad 
band of glowing white light. Fainter streaks appeared afterwards 
in the north, A dark cirrhus mist overspread ‘the sky at the 
time. 
The radiating cirrhus, or Auroral cloud that appeared in 
the daytime, was crossed by lighter streaks, as in the accom- 
panying sketch. 
The day previous this phenomenon was seen at Edinburgh, 
and also in this neighbourhood, though I did not observe it. 
These manifestations, followed each time as they have been 
lately by change of weather, seem to confirm the theory of Mr. 
3uchan and M. Silbermann; and I could adduce other observa- 
tions pointing to the same inference, viz. that the Aurora Borealis 
is an atmospheric phenomenon, connected with the polarisation 
of vapour. 
Great Malvern, Sept. 12 5. B. 
Aurora Borealis 
On going out this evening I saw a very fine Aurora Porealis, 
which literally covered the whole sky to within 15° of the 
southern horizon. The streamers were of a yellowish white 
colour, but at times very decidedly red. They shot up from the 
east, north, and west strongly, feebly from the south. The 
radial point was within 5° of Scheat (8 Pegasi) A.R. 22 MEbm, 
dec. N. 27° 15/. 
This radial point remained constant for about one hour and a 
half, when it suddenly shifted, at 11.30, to within 5° of the | 
zenith towards the east. 
The light was sufficient during the flashes to see my watch, 
and read the second hand with ease, 
Altair (a Aquilz) was quite blotted out by the glare as it 
passed over ; also the stars in Cygnus and Andromeda. 
T used a spectroscope on the light, and found that I could dis- 
tinguish the bright line near the group of calcium lines (wave- 
* The above notes were taken by Mr. R. J. Wood, 
length 5,567) almost anywhere I pointed to in the sky, excepting 
on the south horizon ; while to the north, I not only saw the 
bright line, but also others apparently near F, one bright, the 
other very faint. 
I hope that there will be other notices in your paper of this 
very fine Aurora. 
My latitude is N. 57° 8’ 56”. 
Dunecht, Aberdeen, Sept. 24 
LINDSAY 
A MAGNIFICENT display of Aurora Borealis was observed here 
this evening, between 9" and 125 p.m. During the early part 
of the morning the suspended magnets were so much disturbed 
that I considered it useless to continue a series of absolute de- 
terminations of the magnetic elements on which TI was engaged. 
The auroral display when first noticed bore a very striking re- 
semblance to the effect produced by a brisk and squally wind 
passing over an otherwise calm lake. Magnetic clouds ever- 
spread the northern half of the sky, and were abruptly terminated 
by an irregular arch, stretching from the magnetic E. to W., 
and passing almost through the zenith. This arch was never 
very well defined, but it served for some time as an apparent 
barrier to the rapid passage of the waves of magnetic light from 
the N. towards 9" 45™ p.m. The whole N. horizon was brilliantly 
illuminated, but in some points more so than in others, and from 
these points broad streamers darted forth, extending often from 
the horizon to the zenith. Several of these stupendous beams of 
light, many degrees in breadth, were sometimes seen at once, 
and occasionally the whole N. horizon shot forth these brilliant 
streamers. The colour of the beams was often red, but inore 
frequently white, but many changed from white to red, or re} to 
white, before vanishing from sight. Thesky at times was partly 
of a deep red hue. 
At 10" 45™ some+of the beams assumed a more stationary 
character, and radiated from a point some 70° above the I.S.E. 
horizon. The whole sky then became covered for a short time 
with the magnetic clouds, which were rarely dense enough to 
obscure stars of thesecond magnitude. At about eleven o’clock 
the phenomenon again completely changed, returning suddenly 
to its former aspect, of a lake violently agiteted by a gusty wind, 
which brilliantly lit up the thin clouds as it passed rapidly 
onwards from the N. Towards midnight the activity of the 
forces considerably abated. 
During the storm the vertical force magnet was completely 
thrown off balance, and the declination and horizontal force 
magnets suffered considerable perturbations. 
Stonyhurst, Sept. 24 S. J. PERRY 
Botanists and the Halfpenny Postage 
For several years I have been in the habit of sending her- 
barium specimens by ‘‘ book post,” by merely placing the plants 
between sheets of white cardboard, which were invariably fastened 
by string, without wrappers, and the address written on the card- 
board itself ; so that, in fact, the parcel was open at both ends 
and sides. On Tuesday last I did up a small packet of green or 
living plants, and sent them to the village post-office. As the 
parcel weighed under four ounces, I affixed two halfpenny stamps. 
On calling at the post-office the next day, imagine my disgust at 
seeing my parcel of plants stuck up in the window to be sun- 
dried! Upon inquiry, I found that the postman had very wisely 
declined taking it to the borough office, as ‘‘several similar 
parcels were lying about there now, and would not be forwarded 
until the senders had prepaid the postage at letter-rate.” 
I say the postman acted wisely in refusing to take my parcel, 
because, on taking it to the Newbury post-office myself on 
Thursday, I found that unless I paid eightpence, or rather put 
on seven more penny stamps, doz/e that amount would have 
actually been charged to the recipient, at which I should have felt 
much grieved, as the specimens were really not worth half 
the amount. 
Another gentleman of my acquaintance sent a parcel to the 
same office with a fourpenny stamp on; this the clerk kindly 
defaced, and returned the parcel as ‘‘ not sufficiently paid” ! 
I have read the new rules, and can see no clause bearing on 
this subject—either for or against herbarium specimens, or other 
objects of natural history, being sent between cardboard with 
open ends at the old rate of four ounces and under for one penny, 
and should therefore be glad of any correct information from you 
or the readers of NATURE, 
East Woodhay, Oct. 7 HENRY Rigks 
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