The Aurora. 
[June, 
378 
on p. 38 of Mr. Capron’s book, in the chapter on “ Some 
Qualities of the Aurora,” in which it is stated that Captain 
Parry with two companions saw a bright ray of the Aurora 
shoot down between him and the land, not more than two 
miles away. Accustomed as one is to regard the Aurora as 
a phenomenon of possibly the same magnitude as that of 
the zodiacal light surrounding the sun, this observation is ol 
special and novel interest, particularly as it appears to be 
confirmed by similar phenomena noted by Sir \V. Grove, 
Mr. Ladd, and Mr. Capron himself. The gleams of light 
witnessed by Sir W. Grove at Chester passed between him- 
self and the houses, and, as they were continuous with the 
streamers above, “ he seemed,” as he says, “to be in the 
Aurora.” , . . , r 
To obtain a knowledge of these and many other points 01 
kindred interest, the student cannot possibly do better than 
consult Mr. Capron’s exhaustive treatise: it teems with 
similar points; it states them with perfeft clearness ot 
style, and it furnishes the enquirer with an extended biblio- 
graphy of the whole subjeft. Amongst the more remote 
topics will be found a carefully-compiled chapter on the 
sounds declared by many observers to accompany the exhi- 
bition of the auroral lights, but concerning which there is 
much conflict of opinion. Another chapter deals with the 
curious reddish patches of light occasionally seen upon the 
surface of the moon, which are suspe< 5 ted and not without 
some show of reason — to be of a kindred nature with the 
Aurora. „ , . , , , 
The general reader will find matter for pleasant thought 
in the brilliant and exciting descriptions of auroral displays 
quoted from the narratives of Arttic travellers, particularly 
from that of Lieut. Weyprecht, which is graphic in the 
extreme. We extradt from p. 28 the following account ot 
the Aurora Australis seen by Capt. Howes, of the Southern 
Cross : — 
“ Our ship was off Cape Horn in a violent gale, plungin Q 
furiously into a heavy sea, flooding her decks, and sometimes 
burying her whole bows beneath the waves. 1 he heavens 
were black as death, not a star was to be seen, when the 
brilliant spectacle first appeared. I cannot describe the 
awful grandeur of the scene j the heavens giadually c ange 
from murky blackness till they became like vivid hre, 
refledting a lurid glowing brilliancy over everything, fhe 
ocean appeared like a sea of vermilion lashed into fury by 
the storm ; the waves dashing furiously over our side ever 
and anon rushed to leeward in crimson torrents. Our whole 
