REV. JAMES FARQUHARSON ON THE AURORA BOREALIS. 
105 
from the north ; — and that the only conditions that can explain and reconcile 
these appearances are, that the pencils of rays (streamers) of the aurora bo- 
realis are vertical, or nearly so, and form a deep fringe, which stretches a great 
way from east to west at right angles to the magnetic meridian, but which is 
of no great thickness from north to south ; and that the fringe moves south- 
ward, preserving its direction at right angles to the magnetic meridian.” 
In the paper from whence these results of observation are quoted, I had not 
entered into a minute detail of any individual observations, but had satisfied 
myself with a general description of an order in the appearance and progress 
of the meteor, which I had repeatedly watched ; and a brief account and ex- 
planation of some of the apparent irregularities ; hoping this might be sufficient 
to direct other observers to watch likewise this remarkable order. I had also 
not distinctly stated, although it was to be inferred from some parts of the de- 
scription then given, that several successive arches of aurora often appear at 
the same time within the field of view ; a circumstance of great importance 
when considered in reference to the numerous observations so industriously 
collected by Mr. Dalton. 
As I am aware the Royal Society justly prefers details of separate observations 
to any more general descriptions, I shall now give an account of two or three 
out of several observations I have had opportunity for making since 1823 ; the 
results of which have been all confirmatory of the above views, with very 
trifling modifications. Regarding the observations I had previously made, and 
which opened up to me such peculiar views, I shall only now state, that it was 
in the autumn of 1814 that I first distinctly observed the ordinary aurora bo- 
realis, of long vertically-directed streamers, fairly make its progress from alow 
northerly situation onward to the zenith, and assume there the form of a narrow 
luminous belt, at right angles to the magnetic meridian. The discovery in- 
spired me, at the time, with a high degree of satisfaction ; as the apparent 
general confusion and wild irregularity of the aurora, when viewed in connec- 
tion with the peculiar circumstance of its most frequently presenting itself in 
all localities in some determinate relation to the magnetic meridian, admitted 
now of easy explanation ; and a determinate arrangement and figure, and con- 
stant order in the progress of the meteor, to my mind instantly became certain. 
On the evening of the 22nd of November, 1825, when returning to my own 
MDCCCXXIX. 
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