AURORA AUSTRALIS. 257 
hues, changing their shape and position with almost inconceivable 
rapidity. Dark arches also were visible. 
““When any such drapery appeared directly overhead, only a 
gorgeously bright, very narrow, sinuous line was presented, but 
when viewed obliquely, the fringe-like depth of the scroll, with its 
different shades of colour was most beautifully apparent. Every 
formation was arranged in some sort of curve or spiral (excepting 
two which formed two distinct right angles); every one directly 
it appeared darted away to the westward, and in every one there 
appeared to some observers to be a rotatory movement amongst 
the coloured particles of which the drapery was composed, whilst 
to others this movement appeared to be wave-like ; horizontal 
flashes continually darted from one nebulous mass to another. To 
add to the splendour of the scene, at 9:10 p.m. a remarkably bright 
meteor slowly passed across the western horizon from Canis Major, 
bursting into many coloured fragments and passing underneath 
several of the fragmentary parts of the aurora. 
“In such an extensive and ever changing panorama it is impossible 
for one observer to accurately describe the many interesting aspects 
which so continually presented themselves, and so rapidly vanished. 
Each one would catch a glimpse of something different, and could 
only form a very general idea of what actually took place. How- 
ever three formations were so brilliant as to be noted by all— 
First, at 9 p.m., when a magnificent circle of light appeared 
directly around the zenith, with a diameter of about 20° formed 
as before of draped rays of beautifully tinted light. Looking 
upwards through this circle it was plainly seen that these rays 
were not strictly perpendicular, but slightly slanting downwards 
from left to right, and the rotatory or wavelike movement of every 
particle was most apparent. Secondly at 9:5 p.m. when a spiral 
scroll of three chords arranged itself round a nucleus a few degrees. 
to the northward of the zenith. Thirdly, at 9°15 p.m., when two 
forms of exceptionally bright light appeared like waterspouts 10° 
high in the western horizon, which was probably a perspective : 
view of a sinuous line of drapery reaching below the horizon. 
Q—Nov. 3, 1897, 
