The Port Isaac correspondent of the Western Morning News wrote:"The effect of the aurora here was magnificent, especially between eight and ten o'clock. The wide ocean being right beneath it admitted of a grand, unimpeded view. A low-lying but broad arc of pale yellow light, approaching almost to whiteness, and ever fluctuating in intensity, extended clean away towards the far east and west. The span could not have been less than 120 degrees. It was partially covered at times with patches of what seemed to be thin, soft, grey, woolly-looking clouds, which now and then suddenly broke into narrow vertical streaks, and as suddenly returned to their original form. Occasionally the appearance was extremely weird and wild, but more often stood out beneath the arc a heavy, dark pall, with fleecy upper edge, but deepening into blackness towards the outstretching horizon. Brilliant coruscations shot up perpendicularly to the very zenith, some rising quite from the sea-line, and so vivid as to show distinctly from the gleaming bow through which they passed. The streamers in some cases were slightly tinged with pink, but otherwise there was an absence of variety of colour throughout. Strange to say, the stars, instead of paling before such a flood of light, seemed to have greater lustre. Venus, though low down and considerably within the luminous zone, was exceedingly brilliant. The Milky Way, immediately overhead and preternaturally clear, ran exactly parallel with the arc. Rarely has so fine a display been seen here, and the occurrence of the phenomenon so far south in early autumn is much remarked on.”

Mr. John T. Cherry, of 2, Bedford Park, Plymouth, wrote to the Western Morning News, 13th September, 1898:—

"I should be obliged to any of your readers if they would state whether they observed the unusual and remarkable electric display in the almost due west of the sky last Saturday midnight and continuing until past one a.m. Sunday morning. A few observable meteors fell at the same or during the same interval of time. The appearance was as a nebulous haze, and of a soft and varying colour, almost a lavender. It would spread and increase in luminosity, and then as steadily decrease, but never entirely becoming invisible. At this time of heat waves passing over our planet (and so late in the year) I think the display of beautiful and soft, varying light worthy of making note of, and any explanation by scientific experts who may have also seen it will be thankfully accepted. I may state the sky was exceptionally clear and one mass of innumerable stars at the time."

Mr. Edwin E. Glyde, F.R.MET. Soc., of Statsford, Whitchurch, Tavistock, wrote in reply, 15th September, 1898, as follows:

"In answer to Mr. J. T. Cherry's 'Note in the West,' I write. to say that I observed a bright, whitish patch in the sky above the W.S.W. horizon (on the southern edge of a cloud-bank) from 0.45 to 0.50 a.m. on Sunday last (11th). It must have been part of an Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, of which a fine display occurred in the N.N.W. quarter from 9.45 to 12 p.m. last Friday (9th)."

"Penmoor," from Yelverton, 19th September, 1899,

wrote:

"I see that on Friday evening a brilliant Aurora Borealis was observed in the north-west soon after sundown. This was not seen here, but at 7.5 p.m. a very brilliant meteor was seen by my wife and self crossing the western sky. The train left was very distinct and lurid, and was visible for fully ten minutes after the meteor had disappeared."

"This fine display of Aurora Borealis appears to have been noticed pretty generally throughout the south of England and the north of France. A letter from Sir Robert Hunter, who writes to the Times from Weissenstein, Soleure, under date 10th September, shows that in Switzerland also the display was remarkable :

"Last night, from a little after nine until past ten o'clock, and possibly later, the Aurora Borealis was visible from here in a manner which is certainly very unusual in England. There was a well-marked arc of light on the horizon, from which white rays of varying breadth shot upwards, continually appearing and disappearing, but sometimes persisting for a long period. Some of the longest rays extended nearly to the Pole Star, and the lower part of the Great Bear constantly paled and became dim in the stronger suffused light welling up from the horizon. Occasionally some of the rays showed a rose tint, and sometimes the whole of the northern heavens assumed the same hue. Brighter colours were once seen in one of the longest and most distinctly marked rays. As this spot-on a ridge of the Jura rising abruptly to a height of some 3000 feet above the central plain of Switzerland-commands an exceptionally wide horizon, this beautiful and interesting sight may not everywhere have been so striking.'" (J. B. R.)

METEORS.

Mr. G. F. Flemmich, of Riverside, Teignmouth, noted a meteor on the 11th December, 1897. He says:

"10.32 to 10.33 p.m., I observed an exceedingly bright meteor fall, apparently, over the river. Its fall appeared to be due west. It gradually increased in brightness after making its appearance, and about half through its flight developed a splendid conical tail. Before, apparently, reaching the ground it died out and disappeared."

Mr. Walter E. Besley, of 70, Vincent Square, London, S.W., wrote to the Devon and Exeter Gazette as follows:

"A brilliant meteoric phenomenon was observed at Wincanton at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday, 23rd March, 1899. I have received another account of the same object from Tiverton, and, owing to its great brightness, it is not unlikely that there were other observers in Devon and Somerset.

"May I inquire if such was the case? The most important point would be to ascertain the direction of flight of the meteor, if possible, as referred to the stars."

Mr. Besley calls this a fireball. There was no further communication as to this appearance, and the description contained in the letter is somewhat vague. (J. B. R.)

LUNAR RAINBOW.

Mr. F. C. Shore, of Warborough, St. Marychurch, wrote, 14th December, 1897 :

"I wonder if any of your readers saw a lunar rainbow on Thursday morning last, 9th December, between six and seven a.m. It was a perfect arch, quite white, and looking, across the dark cloud on which it was thrown, like the ghost of old rainbows. My daughter and I both watched it until a sudden squall dispersed it. Perhaps, if you will kindly insert this letter, some reader could tell me why lunar rainbows are so seldom seen in this country, and what their appearance denotes. Do they foretell very cold weather?"

A WHIRLWIND AT STAVERTON.

The following appeared in the Western Morning News of Friday, 14th July, 1899:

"A whirlwind passed over Staverton on Wednesday, the effect of which was witnessed by a party of haymakers on Stretchford Farm, in the occupation of Mr. E. Shinner. The party, among whom was Mr. Shinner, was making the rick, and about one hundred yards away was a large pook of hay, containing about five bundles, which remained to be carted to the rick. Suddenly was heard a rush and roar of wind through some trees near, and the large pook of hay was lifted from the ground, whirled round and round, and carried to a height of considerably over one hundred feet. Still whirling around, it was borne across the fields and out of sight. The direction it had taken could be traced, and the hay was found about a mile away. The terrible gust of wind was not felt by those at work on the hayrick, who consider they were fortunate in not being at work at the time in the track of the wind, as they believe nothing could have withstood its force."

A BOG SLIDE IN NORTH DEVON.

"In this country a bog slip is not of such frequent occurrence nor on nearly so big a scale as are those with which we are familiar in Ireland, but still, on Exmoor every now and again a slip takes place of sufficient size to show us what a catastrophe it might be if happening in greater magnitude, and how it is a means of altering to some extent the character and aspect of a country.

"Such a slip or slide took place on the western slope of Exmoor during the night of 18th October, 1898, on that particular part of the forest called Shoulsbury Castle. This hill is 1386 feet above the level of the sea, and is formed of Middle Devonian (Morte slates) rocks, which are covered with peat, especially in the valleys and towards the summit, where there are deep layers and comparatively large areas of soft ground and bog, which are overgrown with grass and bog mosses, the beautiful club-moss Lycopodium cernuum being prevalent. Around the sides and running into the hill, in places partially intersecting it, are some narrow valleys or combes. One named Weirs Combe, on the north-west side, near the boundary wall of the counties of Devon and Somerset, runs at a good depth to about 200 feet from an ancient Roman encampment situated at the top. It was from the head of this combe the bog, about half an acre in extent and varying from five to sixteen feet deep, escaped, and swept down the valley towards the river Bray, carrying all before it, including two strongly built stone fences over eight feet high, both of which were razed to the ground and carried away for a width of 160 feet. The main bulk of the bog travelled onwards for half a mile, when it broke up and lay scattered over the ground, but portions were traced for over two miles. In its passage it denuded the rocks of considerable patches of peat, leaving them exposed, and diverted a stream, a tributary of the Bray, for some distance. Great masses of peat several tons in weight were here and there left behind as the bulk proceeded down the combe, giving to the valley, instead of its natural and usual green colour, a black and filthy appearance. No premonitory indications of breaking loose had been noticed, but the place is unfrequented and rarely visited except by a passing shepherd, so if there were any signs they were unobserved. Following a dry summer, the slip may have

2 These beds are now claimed by Dr. H. Hicks, F. R.S., to be the oldest in North Devon. (Q. J. G. S., vol. lii. pt. 1, 254-270; vol. liii. pt. 2, 438458.)

been caused by an unusually heavy fall of rain during the three previous days. There fell, as registered by the Rev. J. F. Chanter, at Parracombe, five miles off

"At the nearest village, Challacombe, the streams rose higher on October 18th than had been known for thirty years. With such a downpour of rain the large accumulation of peat at the commencement of the slide had naturally absorbed more than its usual quantity and weight of water, and so caused it to float off the rocks and break away. (WILLIAM PENHALE.)"

IV. DEATHS BY LIGHTNING.

"George Crocker was killed on the 28th April, 1897, at Marshford Farm, Hatherleigh. It was proved that the deceased was aged fifty-four, and it would appear that a very heavy storm swept over the district. About three o'clock in the afternoon the deceased went into a field to fetch his bullocks, and as he did not return his friends went to look for him. They found him lying on his face quite dead, with his right hand in his pocket. He was in the open, away from any hedges or trees. The fluid would seem to have struck the hard round hat which he wore, and which was torn, to have passed to his head and down the body and through one foot, the boot of which had burst. Dr. C. F. Glinn, of Hatherleigh, examined the body, and his report was that he found a small wound on the left side of the temple about the size of a penny, with the skin broken and contusions. The hair was burnt, and a strong smell of burnt hair pervaded the body. From the wound a red line passed down the neck, which divided into two at the shoulder. One ran down the back and the other the front of the body. There was a small wound underneath the sole of the left foot, where the fluid apparently passed into the ground.

"A second case is that of John William Hutchings, which occurred on the 18th August, 1898, at Forder Farm, Chagford. (See p. 73.) The deceased was aged twenty, and was a blacksmith. Á heavy storm of rain, with one very vivid flash of lightning, occurred about three o'clock in the afternoon. It would appear that Hutchings took shelter