Northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, is the name given to the luminous phenomenon which is seen towards the north of the heavens by the inhabitants of the higher latitudes. During the winter of the northern hemisphere, the inhabitants of the arctic zone are without the light of the sun for months together, and their long dreary night is relieved by this beautiful meteor, which occurs with great frequency in those regions. Those who have explored the southern seas have seen the same phenomenon in the direction of the south pole, so that the term Polar Lights might be more appropriate than Northern Lights to designate the aurora. For the phenomenon as seen in the southern hemisphere, the name aurora Australis is used. The appearance of the aurora borealis has been described by a great variety of observers in Northern Europe and in America, all of whom give substantially the same account of the manner in which the phenomenon takes place.

Common Names Of Chemical Substances.

Aqua Fortis

, Nitric Acid.

Aqua Regia

Nitro-Muriatic Acid.

Blue Vitriol

, Sulphate of Copper.

Cream of Tartar

Bitartrate Potassium.

Calomel

Chloride of Mercury.

Chalk

.Carbonate Calcium.

Salt of Tartar

. Carbonate of Potassa.

Caustic Potassa

,Hydrate Potassium.

Chloroform

Chloride of Gormyle.

Common Salt

Chloride of Sodium.

Copperas, or Green Vitriol

,Sulphate of Iron.

Corrosive Sublimate

Bi-Chloride of Mercury.

Diamond

.Pure Carbon.

Dry Alum

Sulphate Alluminum and Potassium.

Epsom Salts

Sulphate of Magnesia.

Ethiops Mineral

Black Sulphide of Mercury.

Galena.

. Sulphide of Lead.

Glauber's-Salt

, Sulphate of Sodium.

Glucose

.Grape Sugar.

Iron Pyrites

Bi-Sulphide Iron.

Jeweler's Putty

Oxideof Tin.

King's Yellow

Sulphide of Arsenic.

Laughing Gas

Protoxide of Nitrogen.

Lime

, Oxide of Calcium.

Lunar Caustic

. Nitrate of Silver.

Muriate of Lime

.Chloride of Calcium.

Niter of Saltpeter

Nitrate of Potash.

Oil of Vitriol

.Sulphuric Acid.

Potash

Oxide of Potassium.

Realgar.

Sulphide of Arsenic.

Red Lead

Oxide of Lead.

Rust of Iron

.Oxide of Iron.

Salmoniac

,Muriate of Ammonia.

Slacked Lime

.Hydrate Calcium.

Soda

.Oxide of Sodium.

Spirits of Hartshorn

Ammonia.

Spirit of Salt ....................

.Hydro-Chloric, or Muriatic Acid.

Stucco, or Plaster of Paris............

, Sulphate of Lime.

Sugar of Lead

Acetate of Lead.

Verdigris

. Basic Acetate of Copper.

Vermilion

. Sulphide of Mercury.

Vinegar

Acetic Acid (diluted).

Volatile Alkali

.Ammonia.

Water................................

Oxide of Hydrogen.

White Precipitate

Ammoniated Mercury.

White Vitriol

. Sulphate of Zinc.