Account of an Aurora Borealis. 131 



Art. XIII. — Account of an Aurora Barealis, with a notice of a 

 Solar Phenomenon; by Capt. R. H. Bonnycastle, R. En., To- 

 ronto, Up. Canada. Communicated for this Journal. 



I. Aurora Borealis. 



Having witnessed from the days of boyhood, the splendid phe- 

 nomena of the Boreal Aurora, in almost all the latitudes under which 

 it is usually seen, as far north as to have observed the sun at midnight, 

 and particularly during a long sojourn in Shetland, where the people 

 imagine, from its extremely swift changes and inexpressible vividness, 

 that they can actually hear its rushings, I have ever been anxious 

 to seize all opportunities of endeavoring to catch its Protean forms 

 and to describe them, in hopes that by exciting attention to facts 

 concerning this wonder of northern skies, science might be more at- 

 tentive to its appearances, and that at length it might become a 

 portion of the duty of meteorologists to detail in their columns, all 

 circumstances concerning it, which they might observe. 



The Aurora in the high northern latitudes, when at its extreme, 

 is almost dazzling, and the quickness of its motions, approaches 

 tbat of lightning. In other situations, it has also been observed to 

 assume irised colors. But although all these combined are eminently 

 wonderful, and strike the spectator with profound admiration and 

 awe, yet perhaps the regions of Upper Canada, bordering on Lake 

 Ontario,* exhibit, though not so splendid and varied a display of 

 this mystery, yet one equally, or perhaps more interesting, to the 

 philosopher. I have now witnessed the Aurora at Kingston for up- 

 wards of four years, and in a former volume of the Transactions, have 

 described a magnificent scene, which occurred there two years ago. 



During the winter months, on lake Ontario, the Aurora may be said 

 to be almost a constant companion of the dark and cheerless nights, 

 and it occasionly presents itself at all other times of the year, nor is 

 it, in winter a mere display of a glorious phenomenon, the utility of 

 which has not yet been exemplified by science, for it sheds a contin- 

 ued and pleasing light, which resembles that of the crepuscular. 

 This light does not, as in Europe, emanate from the vivid streamers 

 which dance over the starry floor of the heavens, in ever changing and 



* Not having observed it elsewhere in Canada, I speak only of locality as a per- 

 sonal observer. 



