204 Miscellanies. 



7. Meteorological Notes in 1741-1757; by Professor John Win- 

 THROP, F. R. S.* — The following memoranda are copied from some 

 old interleaved Boston almanacks of the years 1741-1757. They ap- 

 pear to have been made by John Winthrop, Esq., F. R. S., vrho vi^as 

 graduated at Cambridge in 1732, and became Hollis Professor of 

 Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in 1738, It was thought that 

 they were at least worth preserving, although the diary, to which re- 

 ference is made in them, must (if yet in existence) be of far greater 

 value. The astronomical parts are mostly omitted ; there are besides, 

 tables of mortality in Boston for several years, arid some other obser- 

 vations of more transient interest. Should these notes prove of any 

 value to meteorologists, the writer's trouble in copying them will be 

 amply rewarded. E. T., Jr. 



Cambridge, December 8, 1840. 



" 1741. January 10, noon. The greatest number of spots in the 

 sun I ever saw. One I discovered with my naked eye, (using only a 

 colored glass to save it.) Through telescope appeared to be a cluster 

 of spots exceedingly black, and in company on all sides with a neb- 

 ula ; and besides these there were five or six in other parts of the 

 sun. In the evening a considerable aurora, which about 9 o'clock 

 was covered by the clouds. Till now the winter has been very se- 

 vere, Boston harbor quite froze up — loaded sleds drive over Charles- 

 town ferry, &c. 11. Snow. 12. A. great thaw. 13. Cloudy, warm. 

 About noon had a sight of the great spot in the sun with only the red 

 glass. 



" Ma.rch. As hard a winter as was ever known. 5. An extraor- 

 dinary aurora borealis. 6. Fair. 26. A very considerable aurora in 

 the evening. 27. A fine day. 



^^ September 25, 26,27. Three charming days. 27. At night an 

 extraordinary aurora, reaching from northwest to almost east : the 

 eastern part often tinged^ with a bright scarlet, the bottom a very dark 

 cloud, but so thin that the stars shined very brightly through it ; the 

 striae changing every moment, and often reaching above the pole. 

 The center seemed to the eastward of the north. I watched it till 

 almost 1 o'clock. 28. A pleasant day; wind pretty fresh at south- 

 west ; at night a small aurora. Next morning a little rain. 29. An- 

 other aurora at night. 30. A great dew in the morning. 



" November 4. A fine fall hitherto. 



"December 6. A small earthquake felt at Boston, Roxbury, Ded- 

 ham, Walpole, &c. about 8h. A. M. 



* These extracts have at our suggestion been kindly forwarded to us by Mr. Ed- 

 ward Tuckerman, Jr. of Boston, in whose hands are the original notes of Prof. 

 Winthrop. We doubt not they will be justly appreciated by meteorologists. — Eds. 



