1854.] 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT ST. MARTIN, ISLE JESUS. 



231 



April to 1-80 inches, in May 2-51 inches, in June 3-41 inches, in 

 July 3-98 inches, in August 3-16 inches, in September 2-23 

 inches, in October 2'31 inches. This period includes what I 

 consider could be taken with anything approaching to accu- 

 racy, owing to frosty weather. 



The most prevalent wind during the year was the W. S. W. 

 least prevalent was the E ; in the winter quarter the most 

 prevalent wind was N. E. by E., and the least S. ; in the 

 spring quarter the most prevalent wind was N. E., and the least 

 so S. ; in the summer quarter the most prevalent wind was W. 

 S. W., and the least N. ; in the autumn quarter the most preva- 

 lent wind was W. N. W., and the least E. The greatest velocity of 

 the wind was on the 14th day of March, and was 32-60 miles 

 per hour. The yearly mean of the maximum velocity was 15-81 

 miles per hour, the yearly mean of the minimum velocity was 

 0.32 miles per hour. The quarterly means were as follows : winter, 

 maximum velocity 17-93, minimum velocity 0-25; spring, maxi- 

 mum velocity 16-68, minimum velocity 0-81 : summer, maximum 

 velocity 11-23, minimum velocity 029; autumn, maximum 

 velocity 16-13, minimum velocity 0-18 miles per hour. 



Croios were first seen on the 7th day of March, wild geese 

 Anser Canadensis, on the 30th day of March, swallows, Hirundo 

 rufa, were first seen on the 1st of April; shad, Alosa, were 

 first caught in this neighbourhood on the 30th of May; fire- 

 flies, Lampyris corusca, were seen on the 10th day of June: 

 frogs, Rana, were first heard on the 23rd of April. 



The Aurora Borealis was visible on 39 nights as follows: 



January 12 th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral arch, dark segment 

 underneath. — 13th, 10 p.m. Idem, Zodiacal light, bright. 



February 1st, 10 p.m. Faint auroral streamers. — 8th, 4 

 A.m. Faint auroral light. — 14th 10 p.m. to daylight. Bright 

 auroral arch. — 20th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral arch. Lunar halos 

 were visible on two nights during this month. — Zodiacal light 

 was very bright also on 5 nights. 



March 8th 10 p.m. Faint auroral light to horizon, occasional 

 streamers. Zodiacal light still visible and bright. 



April 1st, 9 p.m. Low auroral arch, dark segment under- 

 neath; 10 p.m., streamers, segment vanished. — 5th, 9 p.m. 

 Zenith clear, N. W., horizon clouded with strati, Aurora Borealis 

 faint; 9-30, auroral arch 40° high, dark segment underneath at 

 the horizon. — 6th, 8 p.m. Faint low arch; 9 p.m., arch 20° 

 broad, dark segment underneath: 9 - 40, streamers in N. W., of a 

 yellow green color; 10-30, streamers extending to the zenith- — 

 10th, 9 p.m. Low faint auroral arch. Zodiacal light very 

 bright on 5 nights during this month. 



May 1st, 10 p.m. Faint auroral light. — 2nd, 8-40 p.m. 

 Splendid display of clouds of auroral light forming a distinct 

 arch stretching from the Eastern to the Western horizon, apex 

 of the arch passing the zenith, extending through the constel- 

 lations Bootes and Leo; 9 p.m., auroral clouds in the N. W., 

 low and very near the horizon, arch very faint; 9-5, arch re- 

 sumed the same brilliant appearance as at 8'40; 9-10, the whole 

 of the Eastern and Western heavens were lighted up with a 

 splendid display of auroral clouds, assuming various shapes and 

 colors from yellow to crimson, arch disappeared; 9-30, all van- 

 ished. — 4th, 9-10 p.m. Low auroral arch, dark segment under- 

 neath, occasional streamers. — 30th, 10 p.m. Low faint auroral 

 light to the horizon. Lunar halo visible on the 20th, diameter 

 63°. 



ness, dark segment underneath. — 30th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral 

 light. 



July 10th, 9 p.m. Auroral light, dark segment, occasional 

 streamers; 10 p.m., dark segment and streamers vanished. — 

 11th, 11 p.m. Faint auroral light to the horizon. — 12th, 10 to 

 11 p.m. Streamers to the zenith, extending from N. N. W. to 

 E. — 18th, 1 to 2 a.m. Low dark arch of auroral light, moder- 

 ate brightness, occasional streamers. — 23d, 10 p.m. Auroral 

 streamers of moderate brightness. — 26th, 10 p.m. Faint 

 auroral arch. — 27th, 10 p.m. Auroral light to the horizon, 

 splendid streamers. Shooting stars numerous during the 

 month. 



August 7th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral streamers, dark segment 

 in the North. — 25th, 10 p.m. Faint streamers, of auroral light. 

 — 31st, 10 p.m. Faint auroral light. Shooting stars numerous 

 from the 6th to the 13th. Comet first seen here on the evening 

 of the 22d day, in the constellation Leo, at 8 h 20 m M. T., R. A. 

 Ilk 30m ios, Declination N. 20°5. 



September 1st, 8-50 p.m. Splendid display of auroral clouds, 

 forming four distinct arches, of about 3° in width, with dark 

 segments between, stretching from E. to W., from a point 

 centered as it were in Arcturus. The most southern arch 

 passing at its zenith through Aquila, the next through Lyra, 

 the next through Polaris, under which was a dark segment, 

 from which were sent np frequent streamers. These appear- 

 ances continued with slight intermissions in intensity of color, 

 from 8-50 till 9-50 p.m. The southern or superior arch re- 

 mained the longest time visible. The northern horizon was 

 lighted up for some time, but faint (until 10-5). Stars of low 

 magnitude were visible through these appearances. — 2d, 8-50 

 to 11-40 p.m. Much the same appearance as last night, but 

 the arches not so well defined. The most southern arch 

 was several degrees south of zenith. Many floating auroral 

 clouds extending from E. to W.- — 3d, 7-30 p.m. Auroral arches 

 again seen this evening, only two in number, the most southerly 

 a little N. of Polaris, very dark segments in the N. to the 

 horizon, occasional streamers. — 12th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral 

 light. — 18th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral light— 24th, 10 p.m. 

 Faint auroral arch, dark segment underneath. 



October 23rd, 10 p.m. Faint auroral light. 



November 9th, 10 p.m. Floating auroral clouds — very high 

 wind. — 27th, 10 p.m. Faint auroral light to thehorizon. Zodiacal 

 light very bright and well defined apex at a Leonis, (Regulus.) 

 Base in East very extended. 



December 4th, 8 p.m. auroral light bright to the horizon. — 

 20th, 10 p.m. Auroral arch; no dark segment. — 28th, 10 p.m. 

 Low auroral light to the horizon. 



Electrical state of the atmosphere. — The atmosphere has 

 daily afforded indications of electricity varying in intensity, and 

 kind: the highest tension has been generally noticed in the 

 winter season; the tri-daily observations (which could not be 

 condensed) would occupy too much space for the columns of 

 this Journal. 



Ozonometer. — Observations have been carefully registered 

 twice daily, for some years, of the amount of ozone present in 

 the atmosphere; the slips of iodized paper are carefully pre- 

 served in a dark place after having- been exposed to the 

 atmosphere, shaded from the sun, and rain. As a general rule, 

 rain or snow shows an increase, and so far as my own observa- 

 tions go, a high electric state of the atmosphere does not show 

 an increase in the amount of ozone. 



June 14th, 9 to 10 p.m. Auroral streamers, moderate bright- St. Martin's January, 25, 1854. 



