912 



meteor was indicated by a mellow luminous tinge which appeared 

 through the openings of the clouds in the north. 



About half-past eight a similar luminous glow was observed 

 through the clouds which were fast disappearing in a heavy dew. 

 This light appeared like a belt of 2° broad, extending across the 

 sky from a point almost due east directly to the west, and reaching 

 within 5° or 6° of the horizon. As the clouds disappeared, which 

 they did very rapidly, the true character of the aurora became more 

 perfectly developed. In the north the usual dark arch from which 

 the columns of light ordinarily appear to issue, was for the greater 

 part of the time wanting; and the luminous columns seemed to rise 

 from the earth, extending upwards occasionally to the pole star, 

 beyond which no trace of them was visible. A brown vapoury 

 cloud, the only one now visible, extended along thehorizonfromN.N.E. 

 to a few points south of east, and maintained apparently a motion- 

 less position, the lower part appearing to rest upon the earth, and 

 the upper edges, which seemed uniform, rose about '6° above the 

 horizon. Immediately in the east, and apparently issuing from this 

 cloud, rose the belt or zone of light already noticed, forming a mag- 

 nificent arch. The light emitted from this zone was of a milky 

 whiteness, and the matter of it seemed to be much more compact 

 than any portion of an aurora ever seen by the author ; but imm.e- 

 diately in the zenith, where it intersected the jNIilky Way, it ap- 

 peared to be far less compact. At this point, where alone motion 

 was observable, a constant current was seen, presenting the appear- 

 ance of light fleecy clouds driven by a strong wind, and following 

 each other in such close succession as to appear in contact. This 

 stream of the aurora was maintained undiminished for more than an 

 hour, during which time the eastern part of the zone did not appear 

 to lose either in volume or brilliancy, nor did the western seem to 

 gain in either of these respects. After an hour, the dark cloud 

 seemed to diminish slowly, and with it the zone began to lose its 

 brilliancy. In about another hour this cloud and also the zone, 

 which throughout had maintained apparent contact with it, vanished. 

 The conclusion, that the dark cloud served the purpose of a con- 

 ductor and fed the zone drawing off the matter of the aurora from 

 the north, seemed to the author inevitable. The cloud did not ap- 

 pear to him to be more than forty or fifty miles distant. In conclu- 

 aion he remarks that none of the prismatic tints were observable on 

 this occasion. 



2. " On the Development of the Retina and Optic Nerve, and of 

 the Membranous Labyrinth and Auditory Nerve." By Henry Gray, 

 Esq., M.R.C.S. Communicated by William Bowman, Esq., F.R.S., 

 &c. 



The author has divided the observations contained in this paper 

 into two parts : — the first of which treats of " The Development of 

 the Retina and Optic Nerve ; the second, of the Development of 

 the Membranous Labyrinth and Auditory Nerve." 



In the observations on the development of the retina, which have 



