considered Geographically, Statistically, and Cosmically, 331 



Table B. — Showing the number of Meteoric Depositions re- 

 corded, arranged according to zones of Latitude, North. 



Table C. — Showing the proportion of falls, for several countries, 

 that might be supposed to occur, making due allowance for 

 the relative extent and population of each, taking France as 

 the standard or unit of comparison, and commencing with the 

 year 1790. 



France 



Great Britain and Ireland 



Spain 



Germany 



Austria 



Italy 



European Russia 



United States 



The number of meteoric falls observed for Great Britain, 

 France, Germany, Austria and Italy, is thus shown to have been 

 sixty-six, in a period of sixty-four years; taking the area of 

 these five countries at 900,000 square miles, and that of the 

 earth's surface at 197 millions, we obtain 219 as the number of 

 annual falls likely, in the ordinary course of events, to be ob- 

 served, were the whole surface of our globe peopled with an 

 European density of population and a similar degree of civili- 

 zation. 



Taking, however, into consideration that one-half of mankind 

 is alternately experiencing the darkness of night, when they are 

 not so likely to observe the descent of these bodies or mark the 

 exact spot where they reach the earth's surface, we may fairly, 

 instead of 219, assume 400 as more nearly the number of falls 

 likely to occur under the above-named conditions. What pro- 

 portion 400 may bear to the entire number that fall, it is not easy 

 to conjecture, though after mature consideration, I am inclined 

 to think that number will exceed one-third of the whole. It is 

 desirable to bear in mind the probability of a not unequal distri- 

 bution of meteorite falls on the surface of the earth, because it 



Z2 



