hould be distinguished with care from
the regular and peculiar N. W. wind, as they may be, by the continued
depression of the barometer, and the character of the scud. They are
doubtless magnetic storms.

The remaining surface wind, the N. W., the genuine Boreas of our climate,
the invariable fair-weather wind, is one of great interest. It is unique
and peculiar. It is not the left-hand wind of a rotary gale, and has no
immediate connection with the storm. I have known it blow moderately,
fifteen successive days in winter; rising about ten A.M., and dying away
at nightfall. Occasionally, but very rarely indeed, a light wind exists
from the N. W. during a storm, owing probably to a focus of intensity in
relation to some surface the storm covers, like the focus which exhibits
itself as a clearing-off shower near the close of a storm; but the real
fair-weather Boreas is a different affair altogether. Let us observe with
care its peculiarities; they are instructive.

1st. It rarely blows with any considerable force beneath the trade while
there are storm clouds, or any considerable condensation in it. It does
not interfere with that reciprocal action which takes place between the
trade and the earth, during approaching or existing storms. I have
frequently seen it with its peculiar scud clouds in the N. W., waiting for
the storm condensation of the trade to pass by, that full of positive
electricity it might commence its sports; rushing and eddying along the
surface, licking up the warm, south polar, electric rain, which stood in
pools upon the ground, or rose in steamy vapor from the surface, and with
its cool breath dry up the muddy roads as no degree of heat can dry them.

The annexed figure (14) shows the appearance of the northern edge of a
stratus storm cloud, passing off E. N. E. at the close of the storm, which
was "_clearing off from the north-west_." It is from a daguerreotype view,
looking W. N. W., taken at eight o'clock in the morning, in the fall of
the year. Near the horizon maybe seen the N. W. scud, forming in the N. W.
wind, which is about to follow the retreating edge of the storm cloud.

Figure 15 is from a daguerreotype view, taken at eleven o'clock the same
day, when the storm cloud had passed off and its edge remained visible
only south of the zenith, and the north-east scud had risen up and covered
the northern half of the sky, and the wind was blowing a gale from that
quarter.

[Illustration: