466 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



[1897. 



March 30. — Summit clear almost all day, but sky over- 

 cast or nearly so till 20 1 '. Cloudless since, cum.-fog hang- 

 ing about hills around all day and passing over summit 

 frequently during the day. Air very clear after 22 h . 

 Barra Head, Skerryvoie and Tobermory lights seen 

 distinctly. Aurora seen at 2 h and 23 h , and a solar halo 

 at 15 h 20 m . 



March 31. — Sky cloudless till 6 h , somewhat cloudy till 

 21 h , and again cloudless since. The air has been slightly 

 dry almost all day and very clear, but fog hanging about 

 hills to N.E. and E. all day. Aurora seen at 21 h , 22 h , 23 h 

 and midnight. 



April 2. — Aurora (faint) seen at l h . 



April 5. — Sky cloudless till 4 h , but thin fog passing, 

 and at 5 h fog had settled on summit, but clearing again at 

 1 l h and sky almost cloudless till 14 h . Cloudy till 1 9 h ; fog 

 thereafter. Haze in valleys all round, getting thicker in 

 the afternoon. Aurora seen at 2 h , but pretty faint. 



April 6. — Summit frequently clear in the morning and 

 shewing the sky only slightly covered with cloud. Dark 

 coloured fug-crystals forming all day. During a break in 

 the fog at 3 h the aurora was seen. 



April 10. — Clear most of day, but fog hanging about 

 summit and surrounding hill-tops. A lunar halo was 

 seen at midnight. Thermometer box changed at ll h 30 m . 

 Eaven seen at 13 h . Heather burning in various direc- 

 tions these days. 



April 11. — Summit clear, sky cloud} 7 , haze and detached 

 fog below all forenoon. Fog all evening. Lunar halo at l h . 



April 12. — Thermometer box changed at 30 h 20 m . 

 Height not altered. 



April 15.— Thunder and lightning at 18 h 30 m and 

 thunder at 18 h 55 m , accompanied by currents in the 

 telegraph cable. 



April 16. — Earth currents in telegraph instrument at 

 3 h . Thermometer box changed at 15 h 15 m . Height not 

 altered. 



April 20. — Summit clear almost all day. Sky cloud- 

 less from 2 h till 9' 1 . Cloudy during the rest of the day. A 

 triple solar corona was seen from the Plateau of Storms 

 at noon. Thunder heard at 17 h 40™. Raven seen at 

 14 h . Thermometer box changed at 2 h 20 m . Raven seen 

 at 14 h . Thermometer box changed at 2 h 20 m , the fresh 

 box being put one step higher on ladder-stand. 



April 21. — Summit clear except for a few hours in the 

 forenoon. Thermometers changed at 14 h . 



April 23. — Summit clear and sky cloudless almost all 

 day. Fog and haze in valleys in forenoon, but by ll h 

 the fog had all risen and vanished. Aurora seen at 23 h 

 and midnight. 



April 24. — The aurora remained visible at l h and 2 h . 

 Fog below all morning. Some cumulus in sky in even- 

 ing. Shadow of Ben Nevis seen at 4 h 45 m . Solar corona 

 seen at ll h . 



April 25. — Clear till 16 h ; fog thereafter. Aurora seen 

 at l h . 



April 27. -Cloudless till 4 h ; after this the sky became 

 cloudy, first with cirri types, then with cumulus, and 

 at 13 h fog enveloped the summit. A solar halo was 

 seen at noon. 



May 6. — Summit clear for a few hours in afternoon. 

 Thermometer box changed at 15 h 30 m . Height not 

 altered. 



May 7. — Clear or thin fog passing most of the fore- 

 noon. Solar halos seen at 8 h and ll h . Thermometer 

 box changed after 6 h . Height not altered. 



May 12. — Thermometer box changed after 11 h . Raven 

 seen at 10 h . Lunar halo seen at midnight. 



May 13. — Temperature very low in early morning, but 

 rising quickly during the forenoon. Humidity fell to 

 30 at 8 h and rose thereafter to saturation at 16 h . Lunar 

 halo and corona seen at l h . St Elmo's Fire was heard 

 hissing at 21 h . Earth and Ben shadows seen at 4 h . 



May 16. — Temperature high and air dry. Sky cloud- 

 less after 15 h . Thick haze with broken fog among it all 

 round below. At 20 h the haze was higher than summit, 

 the sky appearing hazy also. Colour of haze dark blue to 

 southward and lead colour to westward. 



May 17. — Very thick haze all day, but getting thinner 

 at night. Temperature high, air dry, and sky almost 

 cloudless. 



May 18. — Sky quite cloudless and haze much thinner 

 to-day. Snow-buntings seen in forenoon. Sunset colours 

 red to blue in northern sky all night. Shadow of Ben 

 seen at 4 h . 



May 19. — Very fine all day. Shadow of Ben seen 

 in early morning. A belt of haze was noted in sky above 

 south-western and western horizon, while to N. and N.E. 

 it was quite clear, but with low-lying fog in valleys. 

 Some cirrus noted at and after 20 h chiefly in western 

 sky, and lying N.E., S.W. Hoar frost at night. 



May 20. — Almost cloudless all day. Air very dry, 

 the humidity ranging from 28 to 33 from 2 h till 10 h . 

 Fog to E. and N.E. in morning and air very clear above 

 it, but somewhat hazy to S.W. Slight hoar frost noted 

 at 22 h . In early morning there was none, the dewpoint 

 being lower than the temperature of the ground minimum. 

 Earth shadows seen at 4 h . Buntings seen at noon and a 

 raven at 17 h . 



May 21. — Fine all day. Temperature high, air dry, 

 and sky cloudless. Low-lying fog noted both in morning 

 and at night on Caledonian Canal from Loch Lochy N wds- 

 and in glens to N. of Loch Lochy. Shadow of Ben seen 

 at 4 h . Thermometer box lowered one step at 10 h . Raven 

 seen at 10 h . 



May 22. — Very much the same as yesterday, but more 

 fog to N. and N.E. None yet noted to S.W. or S. At 4 h 

 it was noted that while the fog seemed in distance to N.E. 

 to be at same level as Mealfourvonie, from the N. end of 

 Loch Lochy it gradually fell to near sea-level at Banavie. 

 Hoar frost on roof in morning. Snow-bunting seen at 

 13 h . 



May 23. — A little more cirrus in sky to-day, but other- 

 wise conditions much the same as on last two days, 

 including the low-lying fog to N. and N.E. in morning and 

 at night. Air very dry in early morning. Ben shadow 

 seen at 4 U . Snow-bunting seen at 9 h . 



May 24. — Temperature lower to-day and falling at 

 night. After ll h sky began to get cloudy, and at 16 h it 

 was overcast with fog passing. Fog on summit after this. 

 The low-lying fog to N.E. gradually increased from l 1 ' 

 and thickened, until at 4 h it covered the hills all round 

 except to S. and S.W. Later it spread and covered the 

 hills in these directions. Snow-bunting seen at 8 h and 

 a butterfly at ll h . 



May 25. — Decided fall in temperature to-day. Mist 



