258 The Winds. 



extensive hailstorm which passed over France and the Nether- 

 lands on the 13th of July, 1788, took place in the valley 

 of the Scheldt on the evening of the 7th of May, and was 

 followed by a fearfully destructive storm of lightning and 

 thunder on the night of the following day over France and 

 the Channel Islands, and over the southern coasts of England. 

 The hailstones in this instance formed a perfect glacier, and 

 canals in the Netherlands could be crossed dry-foot. 



The aurora borealis, or northern lights, are occasionally 

 supposed to have a distinct connection with the weather ; but 

 it has been shown (contrary to this hypothesis) by Professor 

 Loomis that every display of aurora in the north is accom- 

 panied by a simultaneous display of aurora in the southern 

 hemisphere of the earth, which is contrary to the supposition. 

 Fiery meteors, also, are called "wind-headings" by the 

 fishermen upon our coasts. That these are of astronomical 

 character there cannot be a doubt, from their annual appear- 

 ance in unusual numbers on the 9th — 11th of August, and 

 again on the 12 th — 14th of November. 



For those astro-meteorologists who trace the signs of the 

 weather in the stars, an example of coincidence without con- 

 nection is presented in the following table of the dates when 

 remarkable displays of the November meteors have been 

 observed, compared with those in which, according to Arago, 

 severe winters were felt upon the Mediterranean coasts of 

 Europe. 



Table IX. — Dates of the November shower of meteors, 

 and of severe winters, arranged for comparison in groups : — 



1. Dates of meteors. 



A.D. 902, 1002, 1101, 1202, 1602, 1698, 1799 (Mean - - - 1) 



A.D. 931, 1533, 1832, 1833 (Mean - - 32) 



A.D. 1366 (Mean - - 66) 



2. Dates of severe winters. 



A.D. 1290, 1301, 1302, 1517, 1594, 1709, 1812 (Mean - - - 4) 

 A.D. 1133, 1236, 1336, 1544, 1839 .... (Mean -- 37) 

 A.D. 860, 1274, 1463, 1468, 1570, 1756 . . (Mean - - 65) 



A period of the third part of a century appears to represent 

 the return of the meteoric shower with precision. Allowing 

 for meteorological contingencies, the same period appears to 

 exist in the return of severe frosts. The coincidence is 

 apparently complete ; only the connection is by no means 

 evident. 



The present time may, accordingly, be regarded with pro- 

 bable foundation as a season of severe winters in the South of 

 Europe. The extraordinary shower of meteors may be ex- 



