290 
THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
from its richer completeness and its wintry- 
background of snow and icy particles. Of rare 
occurrence, and confined to the more northern 
regions, it meets the eyes of the snow-bound 
inhabitants of those latitudes with a beauty and 
sublimity that must go far to reconcile them to 
their inhospitable climate. 
“ The halo is often seen in one or more per¬ 
fect circles, with broken reflections at the top 
and base, and cross-bands of light through the 
centre. Try and imagine the exquisite picture. 
Beneath, lie the unbroken fields of snow; and 
above, the stainless masses of cirrus clouds are 
wreathed and motionless, as though some great 
spotless bird was presenting its white downy 
breast to the warm light of the descending sun. 
Gently, as though fearing to disturb the celes¬ 
tial bird, the soft shades of green, yellow, and 
red begin to appear in perfect circles, growing 
brighter and brighter until they reach the per¬ 
fection in which they are so often seen, and 
seen never to be forgotten. 
“ Smaller, but often nearly as perfect and 
beautiful, the paidielia^ or mock suns, are ob¬ 
served to the right and left of the sun. These 
beautiful phenomena occur much nearer the me- 
