Miss Zornlin on the Periodical Shooting Stars. 351 



It would be easy to multiply instances of the periodical re- 

 turn both of the November and August shooting stars, but 

 the periodicity of these " meteors I consider as granted; and, 

 with the exception of two remarkable instances, neither of 

 which I believe has appeared in any published catalogue, 

 and which I have therefore been induced to insert, my object 

 has been solely to bring forward facts in support of the opi- 

 nion that the display of the periodical shooting stars cannot 

 be regarded as an isolated meteorological phenomenon. 



The nature and origin of the periodical, and indeed of all 

 other shooting stars, appears still to be involved in much ob- 

 scurity. From the above, and similar facts, it may, however, 

 be inferred, that they are connected with other meteorologi- 

 cal phenomena — phenomena which apparently originate in 

 electricity, and which may be considered as atmospheric. 

 We shall therefore be led to seek for their origin in our 

 own atmosphere, and shall not surely be wandering from the 

 mark, if to electricity we refer the production of these, and 

 perhaps of all meteors of similar character. 



The visible effects of electricity (whether voltaic or or- 

 dinary) are, according to Mr. Faraday, " the evolution of 

 heat, the production of magnetism, chemical decomposition, 

 physiological changes, and lastly, the evolution of light, in 

 the form of a spark." Among the visible effects of electri- 

 city in motion, are also included the luminous appearances 

 presented by the aurora borealis. And may not shooting 

 stars originate in electric currents more energetically deve- 

 loped ? 



According to the law discovered by Mr. Faraday, " the 

 decomposing action of any current of electricity is constant 

 for a constat quantity of electricity ;" and as the same phi- 

 losopher has proved by experiment, M a given quantity of 

 electricity, whether passed in one or in many portions, in- 

 variably decomposes the same quantity of water." That a 

 similar constancy will exist in the decomposing action of 

 currents of electricity which may be evolved in the atmo- 

 sphere, cannot be questioned ; and that effects analogous to 

 those elicited by the experiments made by Mr. Faraday on 

 the decomposition of water should be produced in the at- 

 mosphere by such electric currents, is more than probable. 

 If, then, we may suppose the decomposition of water into its 

 constituent elements to be in progress in the atmosphere, we 

 must also look for some reaction, some antagonist power to 

 counterbalance such a destructive process, some agent by 

 which the reproduction of water may be effected. And may 

 not electricity, under some circumstances, be evolved to so 



