56 C. Hartwell on a Tertiary Rainbow. 
Art. V.2eDesciption A> a oe whe Rainbow ; by CHarues 
On the 28th of July, 1851, the writer observed, from the The- 
ological Seminary, in South ‘Windsor, Conn., what he judged to 
e a Tertiary Rainbow. After a heavy shower, and a little 
before sunset, the sun appeared, artes on the dark clouds in 
the east a beautiful primary bow. At the same time an appear- 
ance of decomposed light was seen in Pie N. W., upon a cloud of 
not very large dimensions, but from which rain was evidently 
alling. o the 8. W., also, upon clouds somewhat separated, 
decomposed light was visible. 
The appearance north of the sun was very bright, te St in " 
were observed only the various shades of red and orange. 
traceable for some fifteen iegttes from the horizon. Had t 
phenomena appeared in the east, no one would have doubted bat 
that they constituted the two ends ofarainbow. The curvature 
have been sufficient proof. But as they were seen in the west, 
on the side with the sun, and tertiary bows are very rarely seen, 
it may be necessary to give the reasons which convinced me that 
I had really seen one. The phenomenon to the north was first 
observed, and filled the beholder with astonishment. What this 
appearance could be, so much more brilliant than oni views 
of the sun’s shining on clouds, and then, too, not on the edge 
but near the middle while the rest appeared as clouds ordinarily 
do, at the same time no reason being manifest from the position 
of the cloud and sun and the state of the intermediate heavens 
why the sun should shine on that part rather than another, not 4 
little puzzled him 
n going to another window, the phenomenon to the south 
was seen. From its greater length, curved form, and its position 
on the opposite side of the sun, the conclusion was immediately 
drawn that they were the two ends of a rainbow. Recalling 
some instructions of my former (iolice Prof. Snell, of Amherst 
American Associaton in Alba: shy, 51. Being > deine to iced himself, he sent if 
bya a o was, however, obliged to leave before the day assigned for its 
; "fit-health and pressing engagements prevented his giving further attentio? 
d si 
think the tot er it rh foe now, mAb find a place in some public record. 
ours truly, ES. SNeELL 
Amherst College, Nov. 11th, 1853. 
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