26(f Mr. J. Glaisher's additio7ial Observations on 



about 15° above the horizon. It was followed by a luminous 

 tail of extraordinary length and brilliancy, and the disc of its 

 nucleus appeared to be nearly half the diameter of the moon 

 when full. Fire-balls of a bluish colour fell from the tail in 

 profusion. 



" Some idea may be formed of the intense light cast from 

 it, when I state that I could discern nothing whatever for 

 several minutes after ; indeed, many families in the neighbour- 

 hood, sitting in well-lighted rooms, where there were apertures 

 or crevices through the shutters, were alarmed, and went out 

 completely terrified. " G. Thompson, Jun." 



XLII. Castle Donnington, lat. 52° 51' 23", and long* 

 1° 18' 42" W. of Greenwich. The Rev. Kirke Swann. 



" At the time the meteor appeared I was in a room with- 

 out any artificial light, my eyes directed to a window not ob- 

 scured by curtains or blinds. 



" The aspect 74° E. of true S. or E.S.E. 6° E. The sky 

 was quite free from clouds in this aspect. 



" The window was suddenly illuminated by a faint light of 

 a pale bluish colour. The light became somewhat red, and 

 rapidly increased to a brightness, which, from many considc' 

 rations, is not over-estimated, if we say it was almost as bright 

 as daylight when the sun is at the horizon. 



" When the light had continued about 5 seconds (by a 

 rough estimation) I drew near to the window. The meteor 

 was then entering my field of view at the top of the win- 

 dow. 



** Its motion in azimuth was too small to be perceived, but 

 its altitude rapidly diminished ; that is, its apparent motion 

 was that of vertical descent. 



« Its azimuth was from 35° to 40° E. of S. 



"At the altitude of about 30° it divided into about six 

 parts, all of small size, but of most intense brightness. These 

 fell through about 5° of altitude (or rather more), and then 

 instantly all was darkness. 



" This was about 2 seconds after it entered my view at the 

 top of the window, which makes the whole duration about 

 7 seconds by a very rough estimation. No sound was heard 

 by any one here." 



XLIII. Castle Donnington. Second communication. 



" A person out of doors informs me that the whole sky was 

 cloudless; but when the light was over, a bank of black clouds 

 rose very rapidly from the horizon in N.W. to N.N.W., and 

 covered the sky in a few minutes after the meteor. The wind 

 at the time was S.W. 



