434 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ^ASSOCIATION. 
fact had "been surmised, and perhaps had been occasion- 
ally observed in an imperfect manner from very early 
times ; but it has of late taken its place among ascertained 
truths as a meteorological law of universal applicability, 
connected with that great fact which underlies so many 
other phenomena— the daily rotation of the earth. 
There is also an important atmospherical disturbance 
which is beginning to be recognised as a regular periodical 
phenomenon, under the name of “ the November atmos- 
pheric wave.” This is one great billow or enormous wave 
of air which sweeps in November across the North At- 
lantic and the European Continent from north-west to 
south-east, preceded and followed by sudden and violent 
subordinate fluctuations. To this condition of the atmos- 
phere in Europe are attributed the gale of October 25, 
1859, in which the “Koyal Charter” was lost— the great 
Crimean hurricane of November 14, 1855 — and many 
other November gales of fearful violence. But it is some- 
what remarkable, that although the march of these moun- 
tain waves of air is almost invariably from north-west to 
south-east, yet the direction of the, toind K when those gales 
are raging, is nearly as invariably from the south-west 
quarter, or at right angles to the course of the atmospheric 
flow. This has been attempted to be explained more or 
less satisfactorily by meteorologists. "VVe may, however, 
see something analogous in some degree to this circum- 
stance, by noticing how the surf breaks continuously on 
any of the exposed eoasts of these Islands, in whatever 
direction the wind may happen to be blowing. 
To return to “ predictions of coming weather We aro 
happily in possession of two instruments, the barometer 
and the thermometer, which, if rightly observed, will 
never disappoint or deceive us. These wore the oracles 
