Observations made at Leith, 
153 
11 /A— -Between 4 and 6 p. m. we had a thunder-storm. The nimbi came 
from the SSE. and were of a deep bluish-grey colour : the lightning was pale, 
but vivid. The discharges were accompanied by very violent gusts of wind, 
and heavy rain. Barometer 29.44, rising; temp. 57°.5. The rain ceased 
about 7 o’clock : the night was calm and serene. About 10 p. m. an aurora 
was observed playing with considerable brilliancy. The storm extended over 
the greatest part of Scotland, but was felt most severely in Perthshire. 
12th. — At 9 a. m. temp. 59°.0 ; dew-point 56°.5. At noon, temp. 64°.0 ; 
dew-point 56°. 5. Very unpleasant weather ; much rain ; distant thunder heard 
in the afternoon. 
20th. — For several evenings past, there have been distinct convergences of 
the solar beams at sunset. When this beautiful phenomenon is watched for, 
we find that it is by no means so uncommon as was formerly supposed. 
27th. — After a day of the brightest sunshine, the sky was overcast towards 
the evening by small cirro-cumuli , arranged in parallel bars, whose direction 
was nearly north and south. These caused a general dulness, till the sun got 
very near the horizon, when, suddenly, the rays shooting through a small open- 
ing in the clouds, and illuminating their lower surfaces, produced over the 
whole western sky, quite up to the zenith, the richest golden and crimson 
tints it is possible to imagine : these, varying in intensity and depth every 
second, gradually faded, as the sun sunk below the horizon, but had not 
wholly vanished 15 minutes after he had set. It is worthy of remark, that, 
whenever the sun’s disk disappeared, the mountains, and indeed the whole 
surface of the earth, assumed a deep purple, approaching to violet colour, which 
remained till the moon’s rays had usurped the dominion of the night. This 
splendid sunset was observed throughout all Scotland : indeed, it is probable 
that it was seen in most parts of the island, as we have learned from different 
accounts, that it bore the same characters in Caithness that it did in Cumber- 
land. 
30th. — During the last four days, the weather has been very fine. Winds 
E. and NE. Bar. 29.90 to 30.36. 
OCTOBER. 
Results. 
1. Temperature. Fahr. Ther. 
Mean of the Month, 51°. 241 
Maximum by Register Thermometer, 68.000 
Minimum by ditto, 33.500 
Range, 34.500 
Mean of the extremes, 50.750 
2. Pressure. Inches. 
Mean of the Month, 29.738 
Maximum observed, 30.250 
Minimum, 29.000 
Range, 1.250 
3. Humidity. Fahr. Ther. 
Mean difference between the two Thermometers, 3°.500 
Maximum ditto,' 8.500 
Minimum ditto, 0.000 
