of Whitehaven in tlie year 1853. 253 



Remarks on the Year 1853. 



January. — A mild and rather wet month. January is usually 

 the coldest month, but, this year, it was considerably warmer 

 than either February or March. The mean temperature was 2 0, 7 

 above its average value. There was thunder and lightning on 4 

 days, and the sun shone out more or less on 25 days in this month. 

 On the 17th, I find the following memorandum in the Register, — 

 " This is the first really clear and bright evening we have had since 

 the 29th of November." 



A correspondent of the Whitehaven Herald states that M the rain 

 which fell on the 15th, in some parts of High Furness, was so black as 

 to colour the mountain brooks, and even the earth and sand washed by 

 the same had a dark appearance. This is not the first time that such a 

 phenomenon has been observed. It has been previously witnessed, 

 both in this district and in Norfolk. At the latter place, a farmer 

 writing in the Lynn Advertiser stated, " that the rain which fell 

 upon his newly-cut swathes made them so black, that the haymakers 

 were like chimney-sweepers." 



An Orange-tinted atmosphere. — Jan. 4th. Heavy rain throughout 

 the day ; about 4 p.m., fair, but sky overcast, — the whole atmosphere 

 assumed an orange tinge, which had a very peculiar effect on sur- 

 rounding objects, resembling the lurid aspect of the landscape during 

 the continuance of a total or an annular eclipse of the sun. 



February. — Fine, but very cold, with the thermometer at or below 

 32° on sixteen nights. The coldest February in the last 21 years, 

 except the corresponding month of 1838. The mean temperature is 

 5°*4 below the average. On the 12th, at 8 a.m., the thermometer stood 

 at 20°; at llh. 30m. a.m., at 24°*5; and, at 3 p.m., at 26°— the 

 mean temperature of the day being 23°*2. A naked thermometer 

 on raw wool on grass, fell to 8 0, 7 on the night between the 27th and 

 28th. Snow fell on 5 days, and the entire depth was equivalent to 

 a quarter of an inch of water. 



On the evening of the 27th, the Zodiacal Light was unusually 

 bright and distinct. The cone, or rather frustrum, was not visible 

 much beyond the altitude of Saturn ; — its sides, if prolonged, would 

 apparently meet a little to the south of the Pleiades. At 9h. 30m., 

 there was no trace of the light. From 8 p.m., there was a low flat 

 auroral arch, altitude about 23°, and breadth 6°, — very bright and 

 pretty well defined. The sun shone out on 23 days. 



March. — A fine, dry, but cold month. Mean temperature 2°*3 

 below its average value. Snow showers fell on 6 days, and the en- 

 tire fall was equal to j^th of an inch of water. Lightning was 

 seen on the evening of the 4th. The thermometer at 4 feet above 

 the ground fell below 32° on 10 nights, and the sun shone out more 

 or less on 28 days. 



VOL. LVI. NO CXII. — APRIL 1851. S 



