Meteorological Observations at Bendigo. 89 
prevalent in the winter season, which generally begins in 
May and ends with October. The days and nights are often 
very cold; sometimes, however, even in the winter season, I 
have experienced a warm calm day, followed by a clear starry 
night. 
10. Of shooting stars or aerolites I have seen but few; 
and during the months of August and November, which it is 
well known are those in which they are most numerous, I 
did not observe a single one, although I looked for them on 
many nights. 
11. The Zodiacal light appeared often so luminous as to 
be almost equal in brilliancy to that observed within the 
tropics. 
12. At Bendigo I never observed any Aurora Australis; 
but in Tasmania, where this beautiful phenomenon is frequent, 
I have witnessed most brilliant displays. 
13. One of the most striking peculiarities of Bendigo 
consists in the sudden and violent currents of wind 
from the north-west; these are of frequent occurrence, and 
of short duration. I will here avail myself of a few lines 
from my diary, descriptive of this remarkable phenomenon. 
“Night. At a great distance, apparently of several 
miles, in a north-westerly direction, a peculiar rushing noise 
is heard, which approaches closer and closer, becomes more 
distinct, till at length it grows into the boisterous tumult of a 
hurricane. The inmates of the tents are alarmed, and cry out 
the well-known seaman’s call, “ stand by the royal halyards.” 
Tt is a heavy squall approaching, and the warning voice serves 
to the inhabitants of the gullies as a hint to secure their 
tents against the violence of the approaching tempest. A 
few minutes later and we find ourselves in the midst of the 
storm; the air is filled with dust, mtermixed with myriads 
of burning sparks, lifted from the numerous fire-places. 
The hurricane is so violent that it destroys and carries 
away tents, shakes substantial buildings, bends and breaks 
trees; and, after this storm of a most violent nature, a 
heavy shower follows, reminding one of an approaching 
deluge, and in a few minutes everything is again clear and 
calm. The dark cloud, charged with destruction, and which 
has imparted terror to every living being, is now to be seen 
far away on the horizon, wearing towards the south-east, 
and only a roaring noise is to be heard, something like ag 
the receding sounds of the Niagara Falls, becoming fainter 
and fainter, until at a vast distance it dies away.” 
I 
