OF THE AURORA BOREALIS ON THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE. 
101 
9^ p. m. — Very obscure narrow nebulous arches across the zenith, and a little 
S. of it at right angles to mag. mer. ; being the remains of some of the 
arches seen at 9J. Needle shifted to 9' 50" E. 
9f. — Only a few streamers^ near N. mag. mer. 25° high. Needle now 12' E. 
10 p. m.— Very brilliant arch of streamers in N. about 25° high ; and narrow 
obscure arch across mag. mer. a little S. of zenith. Needle 14' E. 
Intensity, 1st in 225".25 ; 2nd in 225"; 25. Therm. 37°. No clouds. 
10£. — Arch of streamers in N. about 25° high, not very brilliant. Many 
groups of faint streamers higher up ; and nebulous narrow belts of pale 
light across the zenith and southward of it a little, at right angles to 
mag. mer. These are all expiring as they go S. in succession. Needle 
shifted as I was watching it from 14' E. to 3' W. in the space of about 6 
minutes. 
10|. — Many groups of very pale streamers over all the northern half of 
the sky, and the western half of a very pale zenith arch has passed to 
about 20° S. of the zenith. Needle now 21' 30" W. Intensity, 1st in 
225". 5 ; 2nd in 225 ".75. Therm. 35°. 
10f. — Aurora nearly faded every where, and heavy clouds forming in N.W. 
Needle returned to 3' W. 
lip. m. — Aurora extinct. Needle at 5' W. 
12 p. m. Nebulous light at the horizon in mag. N. has continued for nearly 
an hour, fading at 10° high, and rising again from the hills. Needle 
1' E. and has remained so for three quarters of an hour. Many falling 
stars whose paths are parallel to the lines of the streamers, or at right 
angles to them in the planes of the fringes. Intensity, 1st in 225".5 ; 
2nd in 225".25. Breeze a point or two S. of W. 
December 15, 1 p. m. — Intensity, 1st in 225".25 ; 2nd in 225".5. Therm. 34°. 
It ought to have been stated, that from noon on the 10th of December 
till the evening of the 14th, there was a continued series of the hard- 
est gales at S. W. and W. that have occurred this autumn. 
It is obvious from the above detail, that the disturbance of the magnetic de- 
clination by the northern lights on the evening of the 1 4th of December was so 
great, and so frequently reversed from E. to W., and the contrary, as to leave 
no shadow of doubt regarding the reality of the phenomenon. It is to be ob- 
