138 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



[1889. 



April 29. — Thermometer box shifted at 13 h 20 in . 

 Short showers of hardish snow during the day. 



May 2. — Thermometer box shifted at 10 u 20 m . 



May 5. — Top clear of mist after 7 h , but occasional fog 

 blowing over till 14 h , after which the air was dry and the 

 sky cleared. Rather hazy, and fog forming on the sides 

 of the farther hills, especially to S.E. in the evening. 



May 6. — Fog over the hills and on the Moor of 

 Rannoch all morning till about ll h , when it cleared off. 

 For some time about sunrise it lay low in the valleys to 

 E. and N. Haze all day. Towards evening the sky 

 became overcast, and shortly after 19 h , fog began to blow 

 across the hill top. After 10 h the thermometer box 

 was shifted one stage down on ladder stand. 



May 7. — When the top was clear of mist, fog was 

 generally lying over the hills to S.E., and the air else- 

 where very hazy. Heavy rain like thunder-rain came on 

 at about 18 h 45 m . 



May 8. — At 2 h there were several layers of fog at 

 various heights, lying among the hills to E. By 3 h mist 

 was on Ben Nevis, and continued unbroken till about 

 15 h 40 m when it cleared a little, but sky remained cloudy. 

 At 19 h dense cum. fog was rising among and above the 

 hills to E., but at 20 1 ' there was no fog anywhere. 



May 10. — At 3 h 15 m thermometer box shifted one 

 stage down on stand. 



May 11. — Fog hanging about the hills, especially to S. 

 and E., and occasionally covering Ben Nevis also, all day. 

 Snow-buntings have not been seen about the observatory 

 for the last few days. 



May 12. — Fog on hills to E. and S. all morning, and 

 occasionally on Ben Nevis also. At 10 h 50 m a shower of 

 hail fell, lasting about a minute. A portion of a rainbow 

 was seen at 15 h . Fog among the hills to N. at night, 

 and lying in the Caledonian Canal valley. 



May 13. — Fog lying among the valleys to N. all 

 morning, it thinned into haze during the day, and became 

 fog again at night. Horizon hazy all day. Sun was last 

 seen at 20 u 35 m . 



May 14. — Began to use Summer Stevenson Screen at 

 l h to-day. Stratus fog in valleys at 2 h . At 3 h fog 

 blowing over Ben Nevis also. Heavy dew at l h and 2 h . 



May 15. — A flash of lightning was seen at l h 3 m . At 

 the time hard, rather icy, snow was falling. It was 

 followed by a heavy fall of soft, flakey snow during the 

 next two hours. The needle of telegraph instrument had 

 been moved several times shortly before l 1 '. 



May IS. — Fog on hills round most of day, and haze in 

 the valleys. A glory was seen from cliff at ll h . The 

 fog that blew across the hill top in the afternoon was 

 quite dry. The 7 h observation was taken at 7 h 6 m . 



May 22.— At 13 1 ' 58 m a tremor was felt inside the 

 observatory like a slight earthquake shock. It was felt 

 in both parts of the building, and in the old part the roof 

 was heard to creak. The direction of movement was not 

 ascertained. 



May 25. — Almost continuous mist till 16 h , after which 

 it gradually cleared, breaking first overhead, until it left 

 a cloudless sky, and no fog on hills. At midnight the 

 N. horizon was seen to be red for the first time this 

 year. 



May 26. — Fog among and on the hills to N. and E. 

 from before sunrise till about 8 h , after which it broke up 



and rose as cumulus. Air moderately clear during the 

 day, except to N.E. where it was hazy. Mull, Rum and 

 Skye seen all day, and at 9 h , South TJist. Faint pearly 

 cirrus seen to N. at 23 h . 



May 27. — Fog among the hills to N. before sunrise, 

 and on till about 8 h , after which it rose and formed 

 cumulus. Haze all round all day. 



May 28. — Haze and detached fog on hills to S. in 

 early morning, but thick mist all day after 5 h . 



May 30. — The snow which fell to-day was mostly soft, 

 and in large flakes. After 23 h the ground was white. 



June 2. — From 14 h till 16 h the needle of telegraph 

 instrument was frequently moved by earth-currents. It 

 was then put out of circuit, and not reconnected till 

 about 20 h 45 m , after which only one movement was 

 observed at about 20 h 55 m . At about 16 h 35 m several 

 flashes of lightning, and a few peals of thunder were 

 observed. At about 19 h 30 m the same occurred. All 

 day the mist was blowing off and on the hill top, but the 

 sky above seemed to be mostly cloudy. The barometer 

 was pumping heavily all day. The entry at 15 h is 

 correct, the sudden fall is clearly shown on the barograph 

 tracing. 



June 4. — The upper glow was seen at 3 h 5 m . 

 Horizon rather hazy and cloudy all day, especially to N. 

 and W. 



June 5. — Sun first seen at 3 h 23 m shining through 

 haze. Haze all round all day, turning very thick at 

 night. A good deal of cum. at horizon. 



June 6. — Thick haze all round in morning, but it 

 gradually cleared off towards evening. At 23 h cum.-fog 

 had formed on hills to N., and at midnight it lay thick 

 among them. 



June 7. — Fog among hills to N. in early morning. At 

 4 h , 5 h and 6 U it covered Ben Nevis also. It continued 

 over the hills round till about 9 h , after which there was 

 cumulus at the horizon. Haze, thickening afterwards 

 into fog, gathered to W. and N.W. in the afternoon. 

 Pearly cirrus was seen at l h , and again at 23 h . 



June 8' 1 . — A slight shower of hail fell at 6 h . Cumulus 

 fog on hills all round in forenoon, and mist or fog on Ben 

 Nevis in afternoon. 



June 10. — Pearly cirrus seen to N.N.E. at l h . Cum. 

 fog on hills till 9 h , after which it rose and formed 

 cumulus clouds. A glory was seen on passing fog at 4 h . 

 Colours very indistinct. Air very clear in afternoon. 

 At 13 h and 14 h South Uist was seen as well as the nearer 

 islands. At 20 h fog was rising to W., and passing over 

 the Cairn Dearg. Haze gathered to S. at night. At 

 midnight pearly cirrus was again seen. 



June 11. — Earth shadow seen at 3 h . N.E. horizon 

 dark red before sunrise. At 3 h there was fog over the 

 Moor of Rannoch. Considerable haze all day, and mist 

 on top after 21 h . 



June 14. — Fog all round over the lower hills from 4 h 

 till about, noon, after which it covered Ben Nevis also 

 almost continuously. A solar halo and mock suns were 

 seen at 5 h . Only the portions of the halo near the mock 

 suns were seen. Red inside halo. Radius of red 22° 6'. 

 Glory with two sets of colours seen at cliff at about 

 gh 25»\ The wet bulb readings at 7 h and 8 h to-day are 

 probably too low, as the bulb had been frozen and took 

 some time to thaw, while the dry bulb was rising rapidly. 



