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BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY.— LOG-BOOK, 1898. 



Jan. 1. — Summit clear from 6 h to 15 b , but sky pretty 

 cloudy or overcast. Detached cum.-fog on hills almost all 

 day, and at times passing over summit. A solar halo seen 

 at 15 h , and corona seen during the day. Thermometer 

 box changed at 9 h 15 m . 



Jan. 2. — Fog till ll h . Summit clear rest of the day, but 

 sky nearly overcast. Fog hanging about hills all day. 

 Lunar corona seen at 19 h . 



Jan. 3. — Sky almost cloudless all day, except for a little 

 cirro-str. in the afternoon. Air very clear. Fog on hills 

 all round in early morning, but after 5 h it began to break 

 up, and by 7 h had all disappeared ; after 1 3 h , fog began to 

 form again in valleys to S. andE., and gradually spreading 

 all round, and rising and enveloped summit after 19 h . 

 Solar halo seen from 15" to 18 h inclusive. 



Jan. 5. — Sky almost cloudless from 6 h to 15 h , but fog on 

 hills to S. and S.E., and continually passing over summit. 

 Mist, with drizzling rain, after 23 h . Fogbows and glories 

 seen at I4 h and 15 h . Lunar coronseat 17 h . Thermometer 

 box changed at 10 h 15 m . 



Jan. 12. — Summit clear at times in the afternoon, and 

 sky apparently cloudless, but piled up masses of cum.-fog 

 on hills to S.E., S., and S.W., and almost continuously 

 blowing across summit. A faint aurora seen at 21 h . 



Jan. 22. — Summit cleared after 8 h , and remained clear 

 during the rest of the day. Detached fog on hills, and 

 sky pretty clouded with cirri-types. Thermometer box 

 changed after 10 h . 



Jan. 26. — Glazed frost forming most of the day. Mist 

 and heavy rain. 



Feb. 2. — Fog and heavy snow till 16 h . Summit clear 

 thereafter, but sky overcast. Very heavy squalls between 

 2 U and 3 h . In one of these the Richard's barograph 

 recorded a fall and rise of about - 300 inch. At 2 h the 

 mercurial barometer was pumping from 24"700 to 24 - 550 

 at the time of reading it. Raingauge not changed at 3 h — 

 too stormy, as observer had to watch the squalls — having 

 got knocked down and blown along. Lightning seen at 

 2 h , and a ring on bell of telephone at 3 b 20 n \ 



Feb. 4. — Summit clear most of the day. Fog hanging 

 around and at times passing the hill-top. Thermometer 

 box changed after 10 u . Raven seen at Bucket Stage at 

 17 h — the only bird seen near summit for some time. [The 

 Staff here at present have not seen a snow-bunting this 

 year yet.] 



Feb. 5. — Lunar corona seen at 4 U , and a solar halo was 

 seen at ll h , 12 h , and 13 h . 



Feb. 6. — At midnight "snow hail" was falling, and, on 

 observe, holding up his pencil, it was tipped by a small 



blue light (St. Elmo's Fire), although none could be seen on 

 chimney or tower. 



Feb. 7. — St. Elmo's Fire seen on observer's pencil at l h . 

 Rings on telephone bell at h 17 m and h 21 m . 



Feb. 8. — Fog most of the day. Heavy snow in morning. 

 Snow-hail falling at 4 h , and, on observer holding up his 

 pencil, St. Elmo's Fire was seen on point as a small blue 

 light. 



Feb. 12. — Snow falling heavily; very squally winds 

 and thick fog. St. Elmo's Fire seen on pencil and observer's 

 hair at 22 h . 



Feb. 13. — St. Elmo's Fire seen for a moment on pencil 

 during the fall of the last few particles of a very heavy 

 shower of snow-hail at 23 h . 



Feb. 17. — Thermometer box changed after 5 h , and put 

 one step up on ladder stand. 



Feb. 23. — Some fog hanging about summit till 4 h . 

 Air dry during the rest of the day. The sky was almost 

 cloudless till 16 h ; when a bank of stratus that had been 

 low to N.W. for some hours, spread and covered the 

 sky till after 22 h , when it cleared away again, leaving 

 a cloudless sky. Thermometer box changed after 5 h . 

 Height not altered. 



Feb. 24.— Cloudless till 7' 1 ; cirri types thereafter till 

 13 h . Thin fog depositing dark crystals till 17 1 '. Clear 

 again, but overcast till 22 h . Fog at 23 h and midnight, 

 depositing clearer crystals than in afternoon. Solar halo 

 seen at 13 h . 



Feb. 26. — St. Elmo's Fire seen at 2 h and 4 L . Loose 

 flaky snow made up of spines and small motes falling 

 in morning. 



Feb. 27. — St. Elmo's Fire seen on observer's pencil 

 at 22 h . 



Feb. 28. — St. Elmo's Fire seen at 5 h . Flaky snow 

 falling at 5 h , and small motes and pellets (not snow-hail) 

 at night. 



March 4. — Thermometer box was changed after 23 h . 

 Height not altered. 



March 6. — Thermometer box changed after 13 h . 

 Height not altered. Lunar corona at 19 h and 21 b . 



March 7. — Summit clear and sky slightly clouded 

 all day. Thick haze all round, and at no time during 

 the day did the visibility exceed 2. The tracks of a 

 weasel were seen about windows this morning. 



March 9. — Thermometer box changed after 10 h . 

 Height not altered. After 19 b a mouse (or vole) was 

 seen scampering across kitchen floor, and into Neil's bed- 

 room, where it was caught and put into a tin box. It 

 was found dead about two hours afterwards. 



