282 FRECIPITATfON OF PtATrNA. 



t)efcription of offering a confiderable view of tiie heavens, at that timfi 

 the appearance, fpiendid with ftars ; I was looking with attention towards the 



courfe, and ' o 



duration of a N. W. when fuddenly a meteor from about 35^ of lieight, 

 luminous me- fljot from the W. by N. It was apparently about the fize of 

 a tennis ball, perhaps hardly fo large, it was followed by a 

 Hream of light which feemed in fpecks, the length of the train 

 was about a degree, that is about twice the apparent diameter 

 of the moon. Its courfe was from North of Weft towards 

 the North, paffing about 10<> below the of the Great 



Bear, which I judge was then about 45^ above the horizon. 

 Its motion was majeftic, by no means rapid, I am fure it was 

 full ten feconds in motion, the light not fo piercing as that of 

 a ftar of the firft magnitude, but exceeded that of the fecond, 

 with which I had full opportunity of comparing it. It ran 

 through 30° of the heavens, defcribing an arch of great 

 diameter, its path was convex above, and declining down- 

 wards. The extindion of it was at an altitude of about 25* 

 having fallen certainly not more than lO*', I do not think fo 

 much. It very vifibly flopped before it was extinguifhed. 

 It burft at laft with very few fparks, and its train and itfelf 

 together difappeared in a moment. I had perfe6l leifure and 

 fpace to obferve its whole courie, it expired below the fecond 

 pointer, I inftantly drew out my watch, and comparing [t 

 this morning with the clock of St. Paul's Cathedral, it was 

 exadly at thirty-one minutes after eleven that I obferved the 

 cud of the phenomenon. 



I am, Sir, 



Your mofl obedient humble Servant, 



A Constant Reader. 

 Mondai/, July 22d, 1805. 



IX. 



Precipitation of Platina as a Covering or Defence to poUJhed 

 Stetlf and alfo to Braj's. In a Letter from Mr. J. STODAitT, 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 Dear Sir, 



Platina is taken X OU kindly favoured me, by inferting in the laft Number 

 of }our excellent Journal, an account of a melkod I have 



nocn its Iblution 

 ky ether. 



uleti 



