884 Mr. R. P. Greg on Meteorolites or Aerolites, 



Table D. 



Month. 



January '. 

 February. 

 March . 

 April .... 

 May .... 

 June .... 



First half-yearly total 87^ 



No. 



9 

 15 

 17 

 14§ 

 15 

 17 



Month. 



July 



August ^. 



September 



October 



November 



December 



Second half-yearly total 



No. 



m 



15 

 17 

 14 

 15 

 9 



N.B. Average 1475 



It is rather singular how equal the number is for each half- 

 yearly period, but the most important thing to notice is the 

 great falling off for the months of December and January, and the 

 almost corresponding increase for June and July ; the two former 

 together only show 18, while the two latter 36|^, or more than 

 double*. 



It may be argued, this is in consequence of the days being 

 longer in summer than in winter. While, however, there is but 

 16 per cent, more daylight in November than in December, the 

 falls of meteorites are, it is seen, more than 50 per cent, more, 

 and while there are nine falls recorded in Januaiy, there are fifteen 

 in February, and seventeen in March, months when the days are 

 still nearly as short. November shows considerably more also 

 than December. The diifference existing between different 

 countries, in latitude and longitude, will also tend rather to 

 equalize the difference that occurs in the duration or simulta- 

 neous commencement of night at any particular period of the 

 year. The nine falls for January are spread over, be it observed, 

 a very long period. There appear only to be four instances in 

 the last hundred years. 



There is doubtless then some other and more important reason 

 required to account for this marked decrease in the number of 

 aerolites observed in December and January, as well perhaps as 

 for the larger number of falls which have occurred in June and 

 July. (See Note II.) 



Let it be borne in mind that the earth in her orbit at those 

 periods of the year, is on the sides of the winter and summer 

 solstices respectively, f. e. in perihelion and aphelion. 



I shall revert to this part of the subject, and now proceed to 

 the consideration of the following table which I have constructed, 

 rather roughly indeed, from the reports of Professor Powell, 



* Monsieur Marcel de Serres, in the Annales de Chimie et de Physique^ 

 vol. Ixxxv. p. 262, remarks, that out of sixty-five falls, two-thirds were in 

 June, July and August. 



