148 Meteorological Ohservatians. 



The most brilliant Auroras ever se,en in this Colony were 

 also visible during 1817, on the following nights : — 



25th October, 

 20th December, 



24th September, 



23rd October, 



24th Ditto, 



causing most violent perturbations in the Magnetic Instru- 

 ments ; and a brilliant Aurora was visible in England at 

 the same time, and caused a similar Magnetic disturbance. 

 The month of November, which followed the most brilliant 

 of these phenomena, was unusually severe, with cold S.W. 

 winds, and frequent snow on Mount Wellington, Great 

 sickness prevailed throughout the Colony. 



Trevailing Winds. 



The sea-breeze generally commences to blow regularly in 

 the month of October, setting in about noon, and increasing 

 in strength until 5 p.m., after which it usually dies away 

 gradually. Sometimes, when the morning has been very 

 hot, the sea-breeze sets in earlier. In April it ceases to 

 blow regularly. 



The greatest amount of calm throughout the year is from 

 the hour of 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. ; and in the summer months a 

 land wind from the N.W. springs up usually about 10 p.m., 

 and blows a moderate breeze throughout the night : but, 

 with few exceptions, it gives way to the sea-breeze between 

 8 A.M. and noon. 



During the winter months the westerly winds are 

 paramount ; the gales commence at north and N.N.W., 

 gradually veering round to the westward : when they get to 

 the south of west, thick rainy weather sets in for some time, 

 and the gale settles at about S.S.W. The sky then partially 

 clears ; but frequent heavy squalls of rain and sleet pass 

 over for some hours, with clear intervals of sunshine ; after 



