26 J. F. Miller, Esq., on the 



passed over the sky were black as ink, and they appeared to stand 

 out in relief, conveying the impression of their being at a very much 

 lower altitude than the aurora. The light emitted by the meteor 

 was very considerable, and I think moderately-sized print might have 

 been read by its aid. At 1 a.m., the aurora had diminished in ex- 

 tent, and was then altogether confined to the northern half of the 

 sky, but I am told it was visible till break of day. 



February 21st. — On coming up street, at nine o'clock this even- 

 ing, there was an irregular auroral arch in the NW., and frequent 

 vivid flashes, resembling sheet-lightning. Before 10h., the sky was 

 overcast and the aurora concealed from view. On looking out, at 

 13h., although the sky was still covered with a thin sheet of cloud, 

 the flashes were extremely vivid, and were repeated every iew seconds, 

 exactly resembling the playful horizontal sheet-lightning seen on fine 

 summer evenings. I never saw the magnetic flashings so bright and 

 frequent on any former occasion. Aurorse were seen every night 

 between the 15th and 21st, at different places in England, during 

 which period the Greenwich Observatory magnets were much dis- 

 turbed, and the electric telegraph needles were considerably deflected. 

 The aurora of February 19th, was visible throughout England and 

 the continent of Europe, and in America. 



September 20th. — Overcast, with frequent heavy showers and 

 gusts ; afternoon, gleams ; at 3h., a loud peal of thunder from the 

 northward; evening, showers. At lOh. 5m. p.m., the watery cloud 

 then overhead partially cleared away, and disclosed a magnificent 

 colourless arch about the width of a rainbow, extending nearly to the 

 visible horizon at both extremities, which terminated in the ESE. 

 and WSW. astronomical points. The arch, which was of per- 

 fectly equal width throughout its extent, divided the heavens into 

 two not very unequal portions, its centre passing about 10° south of 

 the zenith. In about three minutes after I first saw it, the clouds 

 again closed in, and the phenomenon disappeared, so that I had not 

 sufficient time to have recourse to the altitude and azimuth instru- 

 ment, or even to notice its position with respect to the fixed stars, 

 but it was observed that its eastern portion covered the star Algol. 

 There was no other trace of aurora in the sky, except a slight blush- 

 ing in the NW. 



Remarkable Meteor. — February 22nd. — Light breeze ; fine and 

 sunny, very damp day ; from 4 p.m., dense damp fog. A corre- 

 spondent of the Whitehaven Herald, dating from Moresby, states 

 that about eight o'clock this evening, he was startled by a sudden 

 blaze of light which illuminated the whole of the surrounding country. 



On looking upwards, he saw a ball of fire, apparently as large as 

 the moon, which shot off towards the sea in a westerly direction and 

 nearly parallel to the horizon, assuming in its course a deep and 

 beautiful green colour. The meteor was also seen from the imme- 

 diate vicinity of the town, and at the most of the adjacent villages ; 



