1888.]. 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



71 



grew to a great length — those on the hand rail of the 

 tower steps were 22 inches long at 20 h . The rain 

 formed a hard icy crust on the surface of the fresh 

 snow, which at night was again covered with fresh snow. 



June 4. — At 5 h it was seen that the snow lay on all 

 the hills round down to about 1000 feet. No fog in the 

 valleys, but at night fog on the hills to N.E. At midnight 

 N. horizon red and pearly cirrus to N.E. 



June 5. — At 3 h the upper glow and earth shadow were 

 seen. Fog on hills to N.E. till 6 h . Air very clear, 

 especially to S.W., after sunrise. A faint solar halo was 

 seen at 8 h and again at 17 h . The cir.-s. which covered 

 the sky in the afternoon came up gradually from the S.W., 

 and had a moderately rapid motion from the W. and 

 W.S.W. when overhead. No fog in valleys all day. Air 

 very clear again in the evening. South Uist and Islay seen. 



June 6. — At l h pearly cirrus clouds to N . At 3 h 

 bright sunrise colours and faint upper glow seen ; the 

 shadow of Ben Nevis very clear at 3 h 35 m . At 3 h and on 

 till 8 h detached fog on hills to S.E., but no fog in valleys. 

 All morning the air was very clear especially to N. At 

 8 h it was noted that Ben Wyvis, The Black Isle, Beauly 

 Firth, and N.W. coasts were seen. Haze gathered 

 to S. and W. in the middle of the day. Owing 

 to the drift in afternoon the door of the visitors' room, the 

 only low-level door open, had to be closed. 



June 7. — The fog crystals forming this morning were 

 white and rather hard. At 9 h a glory and fog-bow 

 were seen. Loose cum. fog on hills round and blowing 

 across Ben Nevis all afternoon. This afternoon the door 

 of visitors' room and the low-level door were dug open 

 again. 



June 11. — Thermometer box shifted at l h 15 m . 

 Height above snow not altered. At 2 h the wet bulb had 

 obviously not cooled down to its true temperature, it read 

 32° - l, but as fog was blowing over the hill top at the time 

 it was assumed to be the same as the dry bulb, viz., 

 29 o, 0. The shadow of Ben Nevis was well seen before 

 4 h after the sun was up. Fog in streaks among the 

 hills round at 3 h and 4 h . A solar halo was seen at 9 h . 

 Haze but no fog in the valleys in forenoon. After the 

 midnight observation the thermometer box was put one 

 stage lower on ladder stand. 



June 13. — At 17 h , 18 h and 19 h passing showers with 

 portions of rainbows seen to E. No fog in valleys all 

 day. Sky faintly red with sunset colours at midnight. 



June 14. — The upper glow was seen faintly at 3 h 10 m 

 also the earth shadow. The sun was seen at 3 h 16 m . 

 At 3 h and 4 U detached cum. fog among hills to S. and W. 

 At 4 h low str. fog on Moor of Rannoch and on Loch 

 Oich. Air very clear during the day, especially to S., and 

 massive cumulus clouds in the middle of the day all over 

 sky. Haze and stratus gathered round the horizon at 

 night. N. horizon red at midnight. 



June 15. — The haze gradually thickened, and at 8 h 

 mist had come on from the S.W. After the mist cleared 

 off there was no fog in valleys, but slight haze at the 

 horizon. Pearly cirrus seen to N. at night. At 23 h it 

 reached to almost overhead, not more than 10° from 

 zenith, and even at midnight was about 45° above 

 horizon. 



June 16. — Dense masses of fog gathered on the hills 

 to N. in early morning, and by sunrise covered all the 



hills to N. and E. The sun was not seen till 3 h 32 m . 

 The earth shadow was seen before, and the Ben Nevis 

 shadow shortly after sunrise as usual. The fog on the 

 hills gradually rose and formed cumulus clouds in the 

 forenoon ; these continued overhead till 22 h , and then 

 almost entirely disappeared. The shadow of Ben Nevis 

 was seen at 9 h shortly before sunset. N. horizon dusky 

 red at midnight, but no pearly cirrus all night. 



June 17. — The sun was first seen at 3 h 14 m . Earth 

 shadow seen before sunrise, and Ben Nevis shadow at 

 and after sunrise as usual. No fog in valleys all day, 

 except 2 h to 6 h when it lay in Caledonian Canal Valley 

 as far S. as Loch Oich. Horizon rather hazy most 

 of the day. A little cirrus formed in afternoon, and some 

 pearly cirrus was seen at night. At 23 h some of it was 

 no : more than 5° from zenith. Pearly cirrus seen at 

 midnight to about 30° altitude, with dark stratus nearer 

 horizon. Horizon faintly red. 



June 18.- — -At 3 h earth shadow and after sunrise 

 shadow of Ben Nevis seen as usual. Streaks of str. fog 

 at about 3000 feet on hills to N. in early morning. By 

 6 h it had spread over almost all the hills, but after noon 

 broke up and formed cumulus clouds, leaving very clear 

 views all round under them. It got rather hazy again 

 in the evening after the cumulus had vanished, and cirrus 

 clouds moving from the N. appeared. Shadow of Ben 

 Nevis seen at 21 h just before sunrise. 



June 19. — Thermometer box shifted at h 15 m . Put 

 one stage down on ladder stand. Thin layer of fog at 

 about 3000 feet among hills to N. and N.E. all morning. 

 At 3 h faint upper glow seen, and after sunrise shadow 

 of Ben Nevis very distinctly — seen just at about three 

 times the height of Mull above horizon. Thin cirrus in 

 sky all afternoon moving from the E. Solar halo seen at 

 15 h and again at 19 h . Shadow of Ben Nevis seen again 

 at 21 h before sunset. No fog in valleys all day, but fog 

 as in morning among the hills to N. at night. 



June 20.— Fog on hills to N. at 3000 to 4000 feet till 

 about 6 h . Faint pearly cirrus seen at l h . The upper 

 glow was seen at 2 h 50 m and more faintly at 3 h . The 

 earth shadow was seeu before and the Ben Nevis shadow 

 after sunrise as usual — the latter seen first at about three 

 times the height of the Mull hills. Slight haze at the 

 horizon, but no fog in valleys during the day. Fog 

 gathered on the N. hills again at night. The upper glow 

 was seen at 22 h . 



June 21.— Fog on hills to N. at about 3000 feet till 

 ll h , after which it cleared off, but formed again about 21 h . 

 No other fog in valleys during the day. At 2 h there 

 were passing showers seen to E. and at 3 h and 4 h cum. fog 

 coming up from the E. and almost covering Ben Nevis, 

 at same time, heavy cumulus clouds passing close overhead. 

 Sun was first seen at 3 h 17 m . Horizon rather hazy all 

 day. N. horizon red and yellow all night. At 22 h the 

 upper glow was seen. 



June 22. — Began to use the summer Stevenson screen 

 to-day. Faint pearly cirrus seen to N. and N.E. at l h . 

 Fog on hills to N. at about 3000 feet till noon. None 

 seen during the day, but gathering again in the Caledonian 

 Canal Valley beyond Loch Lochy after 22 h . Horizon 

 hazy all day. At about 2 h 50 m the upper glow was seen. 

 It was seen again very brightly at 22 h . The sun was 

 last seen at 21 !l 27™. Faint pearly cir. at midnight. 



