446 Proceedings of Societies . [June, 
at the winter-quarters’ observatories is that of the diurnal varia- 
tion or inequality of the declination, and frequent magnetic dis- 
turbances, the latter especially, as the ships wintered in a region 
remarkable — as is proved — for an absence of brilliant auroras, 
and in which no connexion was observed between the appear- 
ances of that phenomenon and movements of the declinometer 
magnet. Hourly observations were made with the differential 
declination magnetometers, and on all occasions of great dis- 
turbance special observations at frequent intervals. The greatest 
range of the declination was observed on February 19th, 1876, 
about the same hours, at Floeberg Beach and Discovery Bay, 
reaching 5 0 9*4' and 5 0 47*9' respectively. The smallest range 
was observed on January 12th, when only o° 4' was recorded at 
the first-named station, and o° 6-9' at the last. On an average 
about every eighth day the higher values of the daily range were 
attained, and comparing the highest with the lowest scale-reading 
during the whole period, it shows that the magnet moved over 
8° of arc. For computing the mean hourly values of the dis- 
turbances of the declination, the formula used by Sir J. H. 
Lefroy, in the published volume of his “ Magnetical and Meteor- 
ological Observations at Lake Athabasca,” &c., was adopted. 
From the values of the mean hourly disturbance, without regard 
to sign, it is found that the disturbing force never ceases, and 
that in the mean monthly values it decreases as the winter solstice 
is approached, and increases rapidly towards the equinox. Taking 
the difference between the mean easterly and mean westerly dis- 
turbances, it is found that the easterly disturbance is both mode- 
rate in amount and monthly change when compared with the 
westerly. The comparison of the disturbances at Kew and the 
two winter-quarters’ observatories of the Arcftic Expedition, 
*875-76, appear to confirm M. Gauss’s conclusion, that “ the 
synchronous disturbances of the same element not only differ 
widely in amount, but occasionally appear to be even reversed in 
direction. ” The appearances of auroras and the synchronous 
movements of the declinometer magnet were subjects of special 
observation during the stay of the Alert and Discovery at their 
winter quarters. On all occasions they were observed to be faint, 
with none of those brilliant manifestations which are described by 
our own officers as seen at Point Barrow, and by the Austro- 
Hungarian Expedition in Franz Josef Land, where the magnetical 
instruments were so sensibly disturbed. These phenomena were 
not observed either in the Alert or Discovery , — especially no con- 
nexion between magnetical disturbances and the appearances of 
auroras could be traced. The following description of the aurora 
observed on November 21st, 1875, is given by Commander 
Markham and Lieut. Giffard in their abstract of observations at 
Floeberg Beach: — “Between 10 and n p.m. bright broad 
streamers of the aurora appeared io° or 15 0 above the north 
horizon, stretching through the zenith, and terminating in an 
irregular curve about 25 0 above the south horizon, bearing S.S.W, 
