16 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



When first seen the phenomenon had the appearance shown in the sketch 

 (Fig. 2.), kindly furnished me by Prof. Halsey C. Ives, who had the good fortune 

 to see the display at the beginning, but lost the latter part of it. The sketch gives 

 an idea of what he saw only in general form. He says that it did not seem to 

 him that there were clouds, but rather a space between clouds through which 

 light was streaming ; the upper luminous appearance seemed to him to be an in- 

 verted reflection of the lower one. The position remained unchanged during 

 the whole time. 



No explanation of the phenomenon is offered. 



The matter may have a wider interest when it is remembered that on the 

 evening of September 12th, at the fame hour, a most remarkable band of white 

 light was seen at Albany, N. Y., Utica, N. Y., Hanover, N. H., Boston, Mass.^ 

 and elsewhere in the North Atlantic States, spanning the heavens from east ta 

 west near the zenith. The following account of the phenomenon seen at Albany^ 

 given by an assistant at the Observatory, is taken from the Albany Argus : 



(Fjg. No. 2.) 



"At eight o'clock I first saw it, and its effect was absolutely startling. It 

 spanned the heavens from east to west, and seemeed of very nearly equal breadth 

 the whole distance. It was sharply defined. At its southern edge it extended 

 from the horizon through Zeta and Delta Bootis; thence through Nu Pi Hercules, 

 to and through Alpha Lyra. From that point it extended to the south of the 

 Great Square in Pegasus. The northern branch in the east extended up through 

 the head of Draco, and there seemed to be a strong ray of light, very marked, 

 continuing from Gamma Bootis, while around to the north there were several 

 parallel streaks inclined at an angle of fifty degrees with the general motion of 

 the phenomenon. Three or four of these were noticed near the head of Draco 

 At 8:30 it was observed to clear away on the zenith. The eastern portion now 

 consisted of a narrow strip, very bright, clearly marked at the edges, extending 

 from Gamma Pisces through Alpha Lyra, and at the same time seeming to be 



