64 



The Earth in the Comet's Tail. 



3° or 3^° broad, having •xjr Ursse in its lower edge, and Cor 

 Caroli about 1° above its upper, and traceable about half-way 

 from the latter star to Arcturus : it pointed to the head of 

 the comet, but in the twilight of the northern horizon no con- 

 nection could be distinguished. About twenty minutes later it 

 had risen higher, so as to stand midway between yfr and <y Ursse 

 Majoris, and its termination near e Bobtis was now plainly 

 visible, much more so than previously, this part of the streak 

 having become equally bright with the rest, and perhaps even 

 brighter. Some time afterwards I could no longer see it, so that 



Polaris 



CassiopeQ 



Right of June 30, July 1, 1861, 12h. 30m. (about), 



I concluded that it was probably only a cirrus cloud brought up 

 by the N.W. wind then blowing; and this impression was 

 confirmed by my erroneous idea that as the comet was evidently 

 moving rapidly away towards the N.W., this ray, had it been a 

 branch of the tail, ought to have rather sunk than risen in the 

 sky. Fortunately its peculiar appearance and direction induced 

 me to record it in all its details ; but so backward was I to recog- 

 nize its true character, that in a communication to the " London 

 Review," in which it was mentioned, I had expressed a doubt 

 whether the tail was sufficiently expanded to correspond with 

 its supposed vicinity to the earth, when I received a letter from 



