Observation of Aurora Borealis from Montreal. 259 



Abstract of Observation of Aurora Borealis seen from 

 Montreal, 1903. By C. J. Stuart. i 



During the Autumn of 1903 I witnessed 5 displays of Aurora as 

 follows : — 

 19th 20th Sept.— W. to E. drift indicated. Surface wind S.W. 



Cross winds above. 

 13th Oct. — Drift suggested not distinct. Wind W., and puffs from 



N. W. Cross winds above. 

 30th Oct. — 1st Nov. — W. to E. drift pronounced. Surface wind W. 



and W. S.W. Cross winds. 

 Morning, 4th November. — W. to E. drift suggested (short observation). 



Surface wind S. of W. No clouds. 

 18th Nov. — Drift not observed, but not incompatible with conditions 



as seen. Surface wind W. Clouds from N. W. 

 The McGill monthly weather reports mention two Auroras for 

 September, three for October, and evidently only one night in November 

 — probably the early morning display of November 4th was missed — but 

 it was undoubtedly Aurora, as indicated by the filling and fading of 

 light. Dawn the same morning was high peaked, suggesting zodiacal 

 light with which I am not familiar, however. As dates are not given in 

 the weather reports, and as my observations do not pretend to be 

 complete, it would appear that there were at least seven or eight 

 displays during the year. 



During the nights of September 19th and 20th, and again on 

 October 13th and 14th, displays of Northern lights were noted from 

 here. 



On both occasions I had what I considered evidence of a West to 

 East drift of the field or medium in which the luminous phenomona 

 took place. 



The display of September 19th was rather feeble and sluggish. I did 

 not notice anything unusual until 8.35 p.m. and until 3 a.m. — when 

 fog drifted in from the South — the overhead clouds were so thin and 

 indistinct that no positive assurance could be obtained of high cross 

 winds, but from the appearance and behavior of cloud banks on the 

 horizon I inferred that there was both a high cirro mist and a W. to E. 

 wind, the surface wind being South to North nearly. 



On the 13th October, however, there was unequivocal evidence of 

 several cross winds, the highest evidently from W. to E. This display, 

 I understand, was observed as far South as Washington, D.C. In the 

 early evening it was brilliant although sluggish in movement. The 

 moon was in its last quarter, so the early morning appearance was 

 chiefly interesting for the behavior of the clouds and winds. I watched 



1 Read before the Natural History Society of Montreal, February 1st, 1904. 



