of Edinburgh, Session 1884-85. 
25 
observed at Edinburgh ? I must mention that it was seen to-day 
E.S.E., and I heard no thunder to-day. Please let me know how 
many months you have received of this year (the Reports I mean). 
— I am, dear Sir, yours truly, 
A. E. MTntosh. 
POLKEMMET, 
Whitbtjrn, 11 th December 1884. 
Dear Mr Buchan, — I wonder if any one has seen or noticed the 
wonderfully beautiful prismatic-coloured clouds which I have seen 
here on the mornings of the 8th and 11th. This morning was 
especially glorious about 8.30, rather a clear sky, with heavy brown 
clouds on the horizon, and some scudding along at a great pace. 
In the rifts behind these clouds, these white clouds appeared, — some 
like a mountain range tipped with colours, — one enormous oblong 
shape formed itself into a B, with pale blue in the middle; the 
principal one in the zenith was a flat heart shape, the edges brightly 
defined with the prismatic colours, and inside a gorgeous lake colour, 
i.e ., crimson. Sir William and I both saw it, and were amazed. 
You might like to take a note of this for future use. — I am, yours 
truly, 
Mary Baillie. 
Cargen, 
Dumfries, 11 th December 1884. 
My Dear Sir, — I enclose a rough sketch of a beautiful and, I 
think, it must be a remarkable phenomenon which I observed this 
morning. I believe the same thing was seen on Monday morning 
about the same time, 9 to 9.30 a.m., but I did not observe it. The 
colours were remarkably fine, just like large sheets of fine mother- 
o’-pearl, as a lady observed when she saw them. The light spaces 
were almost clear of cloud apparently, and the sun was nearly 
behind the coloured spaces. I would like to know if you have 
observed the phenomenon in the country before. Weather very 
unsettled. — Believe me, yours truly, 
Patrick Dudgeon. 
