These streams, or cones, were mostly pointed, and of different length, so as to make the appearance of flaming spires or pyramids ; some again were truncated, and reached but half way some had their points reaching up to the zenith, or near it, where they formed a sort of canopy, or thin cloud, sometimes red, sometimes brownish, some. times blazing as if on fire, and sometimes emitting streams all round it. This canopy was manifestly formed by the matter carried up by the streaming on all parts of the horizon. This sometimes seemed to ascend with a force, as if impelled by the impetus of some explosive agent below, like that of March 1715-16. This forcible ascent of the streaming matter, gave a motion to the canopy, sometimes a gyration, like that of a whirlwind; which was manifestly caused by the streams striking the outer parts of the canopy. But if it struck the canopy in the middle, all was then in confusion.

These two particulars, namely, the streaming all round, in all points of the horizon; and the canopy in and near the zenith, are what were observed in all parts of England. But in the more southerly parts of Europe, it seems to have been somewhat different, by the accounts from different places.

One thing observed in most places was, that in some part of the greatest streaming, the vapours between the spires, or lances, were of a blood-red colour; which gave those parts of the atmosphere the appearance of blazing lances, and bloody-coloured pillars. There was also a strange commotion among the streams, as if some large cloud, or other body, was moving behind them, and disturbed them. In the northerly and southerly parts the streams were perpendicular to the horizon; but in the intermediate points they seemed to decline more or less one way or other; or rather to incline towards the meridian.

As for the cause of these phænomena, Mr. Derham takes it to be from the same matter, or vapours, which produce earthquakes: and that for these reasons: First, because some of these phænomena have been followed by earthquakes. As that which Stow gives an account of in his Annals, in the year 1574, on Nov.14; in which he says, "were seen in the air strange impressions of fire and smoke to proceed forth of a black cloud in the north towards the south. That the next night following, the heavens from all parts did seem to burn marvellous ragingly, and over our heads the

flames from the horizon round about rising did meet, and there double and roll one in another, as if it had been in a clear furnace." And after this, he says followed, on the 26th of February, great earthquakes in the cities of York, Worcester, Gloucester, Bristol, Hereford, and in the countries about, which caused the people to run out of their houses, for fear they should have fallen on their heads. In Tewksbury, Breedon, &c. the dishes fell from the cupboards, and the books in men's studies from the shelves, &c.

So this last, in October, was preceded by that fatal carthquake at Palermo in Sicily, and succeeded by one in England, on Tuesday, October 25, following. This it seems was perceived in London, and was very considerable at Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland, Portsmouth, Purbeck, and several other places in Dorsetshire, that it caused the doors to fly open, shook down pewter off the shelves, and was felt in some ships that lay in the harbours.

Another reason is, that some gentlemen viewing this appearance, on the tops of their houses at Little Chelsea, plainly perceived a sulphurous smell in the air. Another thing which coneurs with what has been said, is, that several persons heard a hissing, and in some places a crackling noise, in the time of the streaming, like what is reported to be often heard in earthquakes.

[Id. 1727.

SECTION IV.

Collection of the Observations of the remarkable Red Lights shewn in the Air, Dec. 5, or 16, N.S. sent from different places to the Royal Society.

As observed at Naples by the Prince of Cassano. F.R.S.

Dec. 16, 1737, N.S. in the evening, the sun being about 25 degrees below the horizon, a light was observed in the north, as if the air was on fire, and flashing; the intenseness of which gradually increasing, at the 3d hour of the night it spread much westward. Its greatest height was about 65°; for it occupied the whole extent of both the Bears and the polar star; yet at the sides it was not so high; for in some places near the north it rose only to 50°, and it gradually diminished, so as to become insensible at the true horizon.

The abovementioned light at its extremities was unequally jagged, and scattered, and followed the course of the westerly wind; so that for a few hours it spread considerably wider, yet without ever reaching the zenith. About the 6th hour of the night the in. tenseness of the colour disappeared; some small traces of the inflammation still remaining towards the north-east and the west, which were all vanished at 74h. of the night.

The inflamed matter, in the greatest part of its extent, gave a free passage to the rays of the stars, even of the 3d and 4th magni. tude, situate behind it. About the 4th hour of the night, a very regular arch, of a parabolic figure, was seen to rise gently, to 2° of rectangular elevation, and to 20° of horizontal amplitude. This phenomenon was seen all over Italy, as appears by several accounts of it, though with some disagreement between them.

The most probable opinion as to the cause of this phenomenon, ascribes it to the simple firing of a bituminous and sulphurous mat. ter, on account of its very little specific gravity, raised to the upper parts of the atmosphere, and there, by the clashing of contrary winds, broken, comminuted, and at last set on fire. This opinion has been defended with strong arguments in the Petersburg Commentaries, by Mayer, on occasion of the appearance of a similar phenomenon in those northern countries. And indeed the preceding eruption of Vesuvius, the contrariety of the moving forces, the readiness of the matter to take fire, the unequal intenseness of the light, the streaks, and all the other circumstances observed in this meteor, are plain arguments of a genuine and real ascension. And Wolfius, on the appearance of a phenomenon much like this, which was seen all over Germany, on the 17th of March, 1717, is of opinion, that it should be called imperfect lightning, as being produced by the inflammable matter of lightning.

Observed at Padua, by the Marquis Poleni, F.R.S.

At the time of this meteor, the air was calm, and the barometer was remarkably high.

At 5 h. there appeared near the horizon a blackish zone, with its upper limb of a sky-colour, somewhat obscure. Above this zone was another very luminous, resembling the dawn pretty far advanced. The highest zone was of a red fiery colour. The altitudes of the zones seemed to bear such proportion, that the second

was double the first, and the third triple; and in many places they rose somewhat above the 40th degree of altitude. Eastward they extended to the 55th degree on the horizon, and westward to the 70th.

It is remarkable, that after sun-set on the preceding days, as well as this, there appeared in the west a remarkable redness ex. panded on each side; and on the ensuing evening, the same bright red colour, appearing near the horizon, deceived the common people into a belief, that a new phenomenon, like the foregoing, was breaking out of the horizon. Near our zenith there appeared some thin lucid clouds, partly of a whitish red, in such a manner, that they seemed as if occasioned by the burning of houses at some distance to the north. Others of this sort had happened before, and some were seen afterwards.

A little after 6, the upper parts began to emit red streamings, or rays, in plenty; but in these the red was now and then intermixed with whitish and darkish colours. In a few seconds after, there issued out from the very equinoctial west, a red and very bright column, which ascended to the third part of the heavens, and a little after, it became curved in the shape of the rainbow.

At half after 8, almost in an instant of time, the bright zone, from the 8th degree west to the 50th east, became more vivid, and rose higher; and above this appeared a new large one, of a red fiery colour, with several successive streamings tending upward, and passing 60 degrees of altitude; the western part had assumed the form of a thin cloud. At twelve, the light of the aurora was nearly extinct, there appearing only a very weak light along the tops of the mountains. Twenty minutes after, there appeared a white brightish beam, at 30° west, and 60° high; but it soon became invisible. In half an hour after, a very weak light remained in the west, near the horizon; which had not been observable, if the brightness of the preceding phenomenon had not invited to continue the observation.

3. Observed at the Observatory of the Institute of Bononia. By Dr. Eustachio Zanotti, Deputy Professor of Astronomy.

The aurora borealis, which was formerly a rare phenomenon, and almost unknown in this climate, is now become very frequent. In Bonopia a great number have been observed for some years past.

This time it was so very remarkable, that no one remembers to have ever seen the like. As to its extent, it spread so as to occupy about 140° of the heavens; and, as to its light, it was so vivid, as by it to distinguish houses at a great distance; which seemed of a red colour, which made some people attribute this light to a fire in the neighbourhood.

It continued at times variously increasing and decreasing.

About 8, the aurora formed itself into a concave arch towards the horizon. The polar star was near the top of its convexity, and some stars shone bright in the midst of the light; and, among these, and y of Ursa major. The concave part was terminated by a basis somewhat dark; which separated the red light of the arch from a white and very bright light that remained within it. The arch, which was 15o broad, was of a deeper colour towards the horizon than towards the pole. The western limit, which was interrupted by clouds, was wider and more irregular than the eastern limit. Fig. 2, pl. 10, exhibits the phenomenon conformable to the description now given.

About 8h. 34, the red light continued spreading, and made, as it were, a basis of a weaker redness. At this time the aurora appeared unsettled and curious, as in fig. 2. At its eastern limit, the pyramid continued visible, but of a more intense colour to wards the north, and from its middle there shot up vertically a streak of light, between a white and a yellow colour. A very dark narrow cloud crossed the whole phenomenon, and went to terminate in the pyramid. At the upper part, a considerable tract of the heavens was enlightened with a very vivid red light, which was interrupted by several streaks or columns of a bright yellowish light. These streamings shot up vertically, and parallel to each other, and the narrow cloud seemed to serve them for a basis. Under the cloud there issued forth two tails of a whitish light, hanging downward ou a basis of a weak red, and it seemed as if they kindled and darted the light downward. There was likewise seen a white streak, which passed across these two tails, and extended from one end of the phenomenon to the other, in a position almost parallel to the abovementioned cloud.

At", 4m. there now remained but a little reddish light at the north pole. All the rest was collected near the zenith, not ex. tending lower than the star a of Ursa major. In the south, where