Meteorological Observations. _ 299 
was 20° below zero, and was the same on the 28th of January and 
on the 25th of February—range of thermometer 114°. The mer- 
cury fell below 0 fifteen nights in December—seven in January— 
six in February—and one in March, being twenty nine nights 
during the winter. The quantity of water, which fell, in rain, hail 
and snow during the year was 58.6 inches, and very near the same 
which fell the year preceding. The quantity of snow and hail was 
116 inches (9ft. 8in.) which was four feet more than fell in the winter 
preceding, and much more than I can find recorded in my journal 
of any former year. We had good sleighing from the 26th of Nov. 
to the last week in March, and there is yet much snow in drifts and 
shaded places on the high lands.« The aurora borealis was seen on 
fifteen nights only, during the year, which was forty one less, than 
in the twelve months preceding. Nothing unusual in the appearance 
of the aurora was observed, during the year, except on the morning 
of the third of July. I first discovered it, at about one o’clock, at 
which time the northern part of the heavens was brilliantly illumi- 
nated. Pencils of rays shot up towards the zenith, some of which 
were accumulating and others were dissolving, as they moved rapid- 
ly from east to west. But that which rendered the scene peculiarly 
interesting was the color of the rays. Each pencil, for a consider- 
able distance from its termination, exhibited a beautiful crimson col- 
or ; while the lower part of these pencils, and the broad arch, which 
appeared to sustain them, at about 25° above the horizon, were of 
a yellowish white light. ‘The rapid succession of different colored 
rays, and the great extent in the heavens which this aurora covered, 
rendered the exhibition beautiful and sublime beyond description. 
The thermometer at the time stood at 68°—light breezes from the 
south—the sky was a little hazy and the atmosphere thick and hu- 
mid. ‘The days before and after this northern aurora were showery 
and attended with lightning and thunder. The twelve months past 
have been peculiar for sudden changes of the atmosphere, and ex- 
* tremes of heat and cold. ‘The temperature of the summer months 
was about 3° above that which is usual in this latitude, yet we had 
frosts in every month; (viz) on the 24th and 25th of June, on the 
12th of July and on the 29th of August; but not so severe as to be 
injurious to vegetation. 
We had fourteen cloudy and rainy days in June, and the same 
number of cloudy and eleven rainy days in July, the consequence of 
‘ which was the most luxuriant growth of grass. But the hay crop be- 
