392 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



was experienced on Christmas-Eve ; and on the following 

 morning, in all low situations, white frost was visible. 

 Water in tubs was frozen to the thickness of half-a-crown, 

 and the subsequent blackened appearance of young lettuces 

 and potato stalks sufficiently evinced the effect of this 

 visitation upon the vegetable kingdom. 



At this time I was a stranger in the islands, and had 

 been duly gulled into the belief that the winter season was 

 so mild and agreeable as to render fires unnecessary ; and 

 the only miserable fireplace was in the kitchen. I can 

 safely say I suffered more on this occasion from cold than 

 during the whole of my long residence in a Canadian 

 climate. Everyone in the house took refuge in bed 

 some hours earlier than usual. Of course, "the oldest 

 inhabitant" was quoted as never recollecting such an 

 instance of frost in the Bermudas ; but if one may be 

 allowed to judge of past events by those which happen 

 in our own period, I should feel disposed to question 

 the memory of this much respected and universal character, 

 having been credibly informed by persons resident on 

 Ireland Island that one or two instances of frost have 

 been observed at that station within the last few years. 



In January, 1849, the weather was sufficiently cold to 

 destroy in their nests, on my own premises, several pairs of 

 half grown pigeons ; and three favourite canary birds, be- 

 longing to a neighbour, perished from the same cause in 

 one night. Many chickens were also carried off by the in- 

 clemency of the weather. 



AURORA BOREALIS. 



On November 17th, 1848, between ten and eleven p.m., 

 I observed a red glare upon the sky, which induced me 

 to get up from my bed and look out of the window. 



