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Meteorological Observations at Bendigo^ 



6. During very hot and dry -weather I have found my 

 opossum rug discharging electric sparks^ with a cracking 

 noise^ when rubbed with the hand ; sometimes I observed a 

 similar electric phenomenon^ although in a less degree^ on a 

 common wool blanket. 



7. There are few thunderstorms^ compared to those 

 in other countries^ although the atmosphere seemed 

 to be fully charged with electricity. Very vivid flashes of 

 lightning, marked with the peculiarity of always taking a 

 perpendicular direction, were accompanied by heavy showers. 



8 . Th e atmosphere is generally clear, and the stars 

 visible, even close to the horizon, with but a very slight 

 scintillating appearance. The firmament is more blue than 

 that above Melbom^ne, but less brilliant thanin VanDiemen^s 

 Land. Fogs I observed only twice or three times, early in 

 the morning, lasting, however, but a very short time j never- 

 theless, the atmosphere is occasionally of a yellowish-grey 

 colour, which is the effect of the large bush fires, which 

 occasionally originate during hot winds. The opinions of 

 the causes of bush fires are various; according to my 

 observations, it may be attributed: — 



To carelessness with camp fires, &c. 



To a slumbering fire in a hollow tree, in places where the 

 bush fires seem to be extinct. In such hollow trees, for 

 several weeks, the fire is smouldering, and, during the hot 

 winds, is fanned into flames, and thus communicates to the 

 parched vegetation, sometimes at a very great distance, not 

 only sparks, but burning charcoal of considerable size. 



In places far in the interior, where no man could be supposed 

 to have penetrated, the origin of bush fires can be attributed 

 to lightning, and to the friction of dried branches, during the 

 hot northerly winds. One could scarcely imagine, without 

 having seen it, what power these winds exercise upon the 

 branches of a tree, and what a peculiar noise is produced by 

 the friction of the branches, during the prevalence of the 

 gale. Considering the friction of thousands of branches m 

 the forest, aided by a high temperature, scarcely endurable to 

 animals, it sufficiently accounts for those fires m the anterior, 

 the origin of which could be attributed to no other agency, 

 except, perhaps, lightning. 



9. Frost is not unfrequent during the wmter season; 

 ice, however, is seldom seen, and rarely attains the thick- 

 ness of a quarter of an inch. Snow I did not observe dur- 

 ing the whole of my stay at Bendigo. Rain and storms are 



