HOURLY METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 29 



Azotes of the Appearance of the Aurora Horealis. 



13th November, 2 o'clock, a.m., aurora till 6 o'clock, a.m. 



The following are the more minute details. 



Having been awakened by the assistant at a quarter to 2 

 A.M., I found a rather bright aurora, consisting of an arched 

 bend from N.E. to N.W., with a few streams of light darting 

 up to the zenith. There were also a few light clouds floating 

 along the northern horizon, with a haze of light on the back 

 ground. At 3 a.m., streaming up very bright, bend as for- 

 merly, light clouds over the aurora. At ^ past 3 a.m., very 

 bright. Besides the arched bend formerly mentioned there 

 was another dimmer arch higher up, extending from a little 

 to the North of East, quite across the sky to a little North of 

 West, its upper border reaching the seven stars or pleiades. 

 Between these two arches there were a great many spires of 

 light darting up and recoiling, with frequently a sort of M^aving 

 flash running over the slightly illumined parts, and even where 

 no spires of light were visible, except where the flash gave 

 them a momentary existence ; clouds on the horizon, but not 

 many. 25 min. to 4 a.m., a few clouds on the horizon, and a 

 bright arch above them, but few spires of light. ^^ to 4 a.m., 

 as last noted, but streaming more up to the zenith. 4 o'clock, 

 AM., a few clouds in the N.W. horizon 5 the light dim, few 

 spires, and these extending only a short way up the sky. ^ 

 past 4 A.M., as last noted, with an arch of light a little above 

 the horizon, right over North, and spires of light darting up. 

 ^ past 4 A.M., ditto, ditto. ^ to 5, a.m. few clouds, but a 

 dark colour below the arch near the horizon. 5 a.m., clear 

 coruscations flashing up to the zenith, the upper edge or arch 

 passing through it, or nearly so, from N.E. to about due W., 

 touching Orion's belt with its upper border. Flashes of light 

 rolling from W. to E., illuminating lines of the aurora perpen- 

 dicular to the lower arch, and reaching the higher one, but 

 only rendered visible by the coruscations passing over them. 

 The aurora brightest where there are clouds on the horizon. 

 No wind nor frost, although clear, except the few clouds men- 

 tioned. I past 5 a.m., coruscations from the horizon up to the 

 zenith in a hobbling manner. 6 o'clock, only a dim light. 



17th November, 1838, 10 o'clock, p.m., slight aurora, but 

 not visible at 1 1 p.m. 



14th December, ditto. 9 o'clock, p.m., slight ditto, tops of 

 the spires only visible above the horizon in the north. 1 1 p.m. 

 only a dim light. 



St. Leonard's, St. Andrew's. August 22nd, 1839. 



