220 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



[1890. 



none was out till 22 h , owing to drift. Between 18 h 20 m 

 and 18 u 45 m , about eight flashes of lightniug were 

 observed, but no thunder was heard. St. Elmo's Fire was 

 seen on the snow crystals on the anemometers at 20 h . 



Jan. 22. — Thermometer box shifted at h 25 m . Height 

 above snow not altered. A bright light was seen along 

 the Northern horizon till 2 h ; probably an aurora showing 

 below the edge of the clouds which covered the sky over- 

 head. A snow-bunting was seen at 10 h for the first time 

 this year. A faint solar halo was seen at 12 h . It was 

 noticed this morning that the snow extended almost to 

 sea-level. 



aurora, single arch, no streamers, was 

 The sky was almost cloudless till 12 h , 



fog lay in the valleys to S.E. A solar 



Jan. 23.— An 

 seen at 4 h and 5 h . 

 but after sunrise 

 halo was seen at 13 h . 



Jan. 24. — The top was almost clear at ll h , and a solar 

 halo was seen. At 20'' the wind was S.S.E. (force 6), and 

 the loose snow on the hill top was rolling about in waves 

 several feet deep ; the bottom of the thermometer box was 

 almost flush with the surface near it from 20 h to 23 h , but 

 there was always a hollow about 2 feet deep immediately 

 under the box, after 23 h it was put one stage higher on the 

 stand. At 21 h and 23 h the dry bulb only was read, the 

 wet being buried in snow, and it being impossible to stay 

 out long enough to clear it and get a reading. At midnight 

 rain had come on, and the wind shifted to S.W. 



Jan. 25. — Strong squalls and heavy rain and hail in 

 early morning. At 5 h the sling notebook was blown 

 away. At 2 h 40 m an earth current moved the needle of 

 telegraph instrument, and at 6 h and 7 h 13 m distant 

 lightning was seen, the latter being accompanied by 

 «arth currents on telegraph instrument. St. Elmo's Fire 

 was seen on the anemometers at 20 h , the hissing noise was 

 loud and distinct, hail was falling at the time, and not the 

 usual conical snow. From ll h to 20 h no raingauge was 

 out, owing to the hard, icy drift that was flying. 



Jan. 27. — Thermometer box shifted at 10 h 20 m . 

 Height of old box 35 inches, and of new box 45 

 inches above snow. At 17 h the top was clear and 

 continued so till 23 h , but thick cum.-fog lay over the 

 southern hills, and thin fog blew across Ben Nevis at 

 times. A lunar corona was seen at 17 h and 18 h ; and 

 a lunar halo at 21 h and 23 11 . No measurements were 

 got of either; the halo was faint and badly defined. 



Jan. 28. — An aurora, single arch, no steamers, was 

 seen at 6 h . Thin fog blowing about the hill all day, 

 and sky rather ugly above when seen. At 10 h a solar 

 corona was seen, and at 19 h a lunar halo; a little snow 

 fell at night, but measurements are very doubtful, owing 

 to depth. 



Jan. 29. — The snow at the first gorge was measured 

 this afternoon and was found to overhang the edge by 

 about 17 feet. The drift of snow lying between the first 

 gorge and the hotel is about 10 feet deep. 



Jan. 31. — The top was clear occasionally in the after- 

 noon, and the sky full of clouds except passing cumulus 

 and scud ; but fog lay over all the hills round, and blew 

 across Ben Nevis also. A lunar corona was seen 

 at 18 h . 



/■'• A. 3. — Thermometer box shifted at l h 20 m . The rain 

 which fell all afternoon encrusted everything with a layer 

 of hard ice several inches thick. The windward louvres of 



the thermometer box got very soon choked, but the lea 

 side kept open. 



Fel>. 4. — Thermometer box shifted at 8 h 48 m . Height 

 above snow not altered. The fresh box was put on the 

 stand at 8 h 48 m , but it had been resting on the snow for 

 about a quarter of an hour previous and so was cooled 

 sufficiently to give the temperature at 9 h . Some glories, 

 too fleeting to measure, were seen between 10 h and ll h , 

 and a lunar corona occasionally at night. 



Feb. 5. — Thin fog all day with the sun or moon 

 gleaming through it. When sending the daily weather 

 report at about 21 h 20 in a strong earth current was 

 keeping the needle over to the " dot " side most of the 

 time. 



Feb. 6. — Sky clear all day, but fog over the hills round 

 to about 4000 feet, which occasionally rose and blew over 

 Ben Nevis also. Lunar halo at l h . Radius to inner edge 

 = 23° 58'. Lunar and solar coronse were also seen 

 several times ; in the afternoon some solar fogbows and 

 glories were seen, but all were misty and badly defined, 

 no measurements were got. The sunrise and sunset were 

 both hid by fog blowing up, but the afterglow was seen 

 at 17 h 30 m . Thermometer box shifted at 3 h 20 m . Height 

 above snow not altered. 



Feb. 7. — Fog lying on hills at about 3500 feet all day, 

 only occasionally thinning out to the N., sky clear and 

 with no unusual colours in it. The zodiacal light was 

 seen at 19 h as a cone of white light rising above the S.W. 

 horizon. 



Feb. 8. — The fog over the hills lay at about 3500 feet 

 in early morning ; it gradually thinned out during the 

 day and turned into haze. A few strips of cirrus were 

 seen near the horizon occasionally. The sun was just 

 seen at 7 h 57 m , and set at 5 h 12 m . The earth shadow and 

 shadow of Ben Nevis were seen both at sunrise and 

 sunset. The air was very dry all day, every hour the 

 readings were beyond Glaisher's tables, and the wet 

 bulb had to be wetted from 10 to 20 minutes before the 

 hour. 



Feb. 9. — Sky clear all day except for some cirrus in 

 forenoon moving from the S.E., but haze in the valleys 

 and fog on the hills to E. and S., which towards evening 

 covered Ben Nevis also. At 8 h 30 m two ravens and at 

 7 h 45 m snow-bunting seen. Mock sun seen at 9 h 5 m . 

 Distance from sun — centre to centre — 22° 50'. Glories, 

 too fleeting to measure, were seen in afternoon. At 19 h 

 the zodiacal light was observed. 



Feb. 10. — Sky clear above, but fog blowing over the 

 hill top most of the day. A double lunar corona seen 

 at l h and 2 h , and a, solar corona at 12 h . The zodiacal 

 light was seen at 19 h and 20 b . Faint afterglow about 

 17 h 30 m . The fog crystals to-day were dry and quite 

 loose. 



Feb. 11. — Haze and fog on hills all morning, up to 

 2 h , and after 14 h fog blew over Ben Nevis also, very 

 thick at times. The fog crystals formed nut of it were 

 rather hard and firm, but not icy. Glories, too fleeting 

 to measure, were seen in afternoon. An aurora was 

 observed at 23 h and midnight, single, badly defined arch, 

 no streamers. 



Feb. 12. — Aurora seen at l h ; it may have continued 

 longer, but as the moon rose before 2 h , it could not be 

 seen later. Fog lay over the hills to S. all morning, 





