A. A rainbow can only be formed when the clouds (containing or dropping rain) are opposite the sun: a morning rainbow, therefore, is always in the west, and indicates that bad weather is on the road to us.
Q. Why does a rainbow in the west indicate that bad weather is on the road to us?
A. Because our heavy rains are usually brought by west or south-west winds; and, therefore, clouds which reflect the colour of the rainbow in the west, are coming up with the wind, bringing rain with them.
Q. The proverb says, “A rainbow at night, is the shepherd’s delight;” why is it so?
A. As a rainbow is always opposite to the sun, therefore a rainbow at night is in the east, and indicates that bad weather is leaving us.
Q. Why does a rainbow in the east indicate that bad weather is leaving us?
A. As west and south-west winds bring rain, if the clouds have been driven from the west to the east, they have passed over us, and are going away from us.
Q. What is meant by an aurora borea’lis, or northern light?
A. A luminous white cloud in the north of the sky at night-time. Sometimes streaks of blue, purple, and red,—and sometimes flashes of light, are seen also.
In our island this phenomenon generally rises from a dark cloud (running from the north to the east and west) elevated about 10 or 20 degrees above the horizon: above this dark bed of clouds the luminous white light appears.