METEOROLOGICAL OBSEEVATIONS. 167 



This at first appeared suspended from the lower edge 

 of the cloud, in the form of a long pointed icicle,- widened 

 at the base, which gradually extended and enlarged itself in 

 a downward direction, until it exhibited a grand column of 

 vapotir, in every respect like the former, and revolviag in 

 like manner. Duriag the latter haE of its 'existence it 

 assumed a graceful curve in lieu of, its perpendicular 

 appearance, then gradually disappeared at the extremities, 

 leaving, as before, a whirling centre to disperse slowly in 

 the surroundiag atmosphere. 



I was surprised to find so little resemblance to anything 

 like a volume of water in the appearance of these so-called 

 ■vs^'aterspouts ; indeed; with the exception of a shower of 

 rain which feU from another part of the cloud, I saw 

 nothing to induce the belief that water, ia the fluid state, 

 was present during the phenomenon. On the contrary, the 

 scene I had witnessed left an impression on my mind, that 

 these waterspouts can be nothing more than the dense 

 vapour of a cloud whirled into the form of a hollow tube 

 by the force of some revolving squall of wind, thus fiUiug 

 the vacuum or centre of such revolving atmosphere to the 

 fulness of its height and depth, as it sweeps over the 

 surface of the earth. — J. L. H. 



AuEOEA BOEEALis.— At Seven o'clock on Monday evening, 

 the 29th of September, 1851, the heavens became beauti- 

 fully illuminated by the Aurora Borealis, which extended 

 over the crest of the intervening hills of the north shore, 

 far to the east and west. The lower portion visible from my 

 residence, exhibited the usual white light of the Aurora, 

 more or less vividly at intervals, and was bounded by a wide 



