ACCOUNT OF TWO HALOS, 05 



In a line parallel to the horizon, paffing through the fun. Uncommon 

 there was, in the left hand branch of the inner circle, a very J?^'^°' '""""^ ^^ 

 faint parhelion ; but in the upper point of the fame circle, 

 there was a very bright and remarkable one. Its light was fo 

 vivid, that it could fcarcely be fteadiiy viewed ; and, indeed, 

 it was rather brighter than the real fun. It was of a whiter 

 light than the reft of the circle in which it was, and had a 

 pearly appearance, as partaking a little of prifmatic tints. It 

 was large, perhaps in its brighteft part near two degrees broad, 

 very ill defined every where, but rnoft diffufed in the part 

 furtheft from the fun. From each fide of the bright light pro- 

 ceeded a bright ray, which had a double curvature very 

 diftincSl, being firft convex towards the fun, and then concave. 

 The lower edge of thefe rays (or that neareft the fun), was 

 tolerably well defined, the upper edge melted away into the 

 iky, with a fort of fireakinefs. They grew both narrower and 

 fainter towards their termination, and they reached pretty near 

 io the other circle. 



The whole form of this parhelion and its rays, bore fo 

 flriking a fimilitude to the body and extended wings of a long 

 winged bird, fuch as an eagle, hovering directly over the fun, 

 that fiiperftition would really have had little to add to the 

 image. 



There was no trace of any other circle or arch in the heavei^, 

 nor of any anthelion. 



It is probable, that it had been ftill more beautiful before 

 I faw it, as during the time I obferved it, its brightnefs was 

 continually diminidiing ; fome traces, however, were vifible 

 for nearly half an hour. 



The meafures which I have given muft be confidered as very 

 rough. I had no iniirument at hand, but a fix inch pocket 

 fedor. I held the joint of this as clofe to my eye as I could, 

 and opened it, till the points of the legs coincided with the 

 fun and with the circles that I wifhed to meafure. I am, how- 

 ever, inclined to think, that the meafures I have given are 

 true within a degree. 



The accompanying fketch, (Plate III.) which is drawn on 

 a fcaleof 20° to an inch, from a rough draught which I made 

 at the moment, will give a more diftind idea of the whole ap- 

 pearance than can be conveyed by words. 



4 Theorii 



