124 
There is, besides, the well-known experiment of passing 
an electric spark, in vacuo, through a glass tube, when it 
presents the appearance of the aurora borealis, even with 
its play. 
I would only further advert to the fact, mentioned above, 
that the remarkable aurora in November, 1848, was not 
followed by rain, where seen in England; while within 
two days after its occurrence, there was a perfect deluge of 
rain, and almost a hurricane, in Inverness-shire. 
If, on reaching a few degrees further north, the column 
of air from the south had come into contact with that from 
the north in sufficient force to drive it back on the surface 
of the earth; in other words, had proceeded so much farther 
downwards on its course to its ultimate depression near the 
pole, as thereby (in consequence of its necessary contact 
with the colder northern atmosphere) to condense and dis- 
charge the vapour with which it was itself loaded, but 
which it was too high up to get rid of, when seen in the 
centre of England ; if this were the case with that remark- 
able aurora borealis, may it not likewise, without unfairness 
be deemed a corroboration of the theory suggested ? 
“ On the Supposed Influence of the Moon on the Tem- 
perature of the Atmosphere near the Surface of the Earth,” 
by Joseph Baxenhell, F.RA.S. 
The January number of the “ Monthly Notices” of the Royal 
Astronomical Society contains a paper entitled “ Inductive 
Proof of the Moon's Insolation,” by Mr. J. Park Harrison, M. A, 
in which the Author points out that when the mean daily 
temperatures at Berlin for the years 1820 — 1835 ; at Oxford 
for 1856 — 64 ; and at Greenwich for 1841 — 47 and 1856 — 64, 
are arranged in tables according to the age of the moon, 
they show that a maximum mean temperature occurs on the 
average, at each of the stations, upon the 6th and 7th day 
