The optical continua of several lightning strokes are presented. In general, the continuum intensity of lightning increases toward the short wavelengths in the wavelength region from 5900 A to 3900 A. There appear to be no significant differences between the form of the intense streaks of continuum and the form of the dim continuum. The plots of continuum intensity versus wavelength have too great a curvature for the continuum to be due to either blackbody radiation or bremsstrahlung emitted at constant temperature. Possible explanations for the observed form of the continuum are advanced. The lightning continuum is found to be similar in form to the continuum of a long laboratory spark in air.
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