372 Notes on the Earthquake of Octoher, 1860. 



1855, February 8, Nova Scotia^ New Brunswick, and New England 



slight. 

 " " 19, New England. — In Maine. 



1856, May 1, Canada. — ^At Ottawa and its vicinity, (See Canadian Nat. 



Vol. I). 



1857, October, " In the Upper Province. 



1858, January 15, Canada. — At Niagara, slight. 



" May 10, " At Richmond, slight. 



" June 27, New England. — At New Haven, slight. 



1859, Canada. — At Metis. 



On comparing the above table with the deductions of Mallet 

 and Perry for the entire globe, we perceive the applicability to 

 Canada of the law ascertained by them, that the greatest and most 

 frequent shocks occur a little after the middle and toward the close 

 of each century. Thus in Canada and New England the years 

 from 1658 to 1663, from 1756 to 1766, and from 1791 to 179C, 

 were periods of special seismic activity, and in the present cen- 

 tury our most severe shock has been in 1860, and judging from 

 the previous centuries will no doubt be followed by others. 



With respect to seasons of the year, the published catalogues 

 show that January presents the maximum, and May and June 

 the minimum activity for the northern hemisphere, and that the 

 autumn and winter months are those in which earthquakes occur 

 most frequently. Nearly in accordance with this, in the above 

 list the earthquakes are distributed as follows: — 



We have only to add that the present article is to be regarded 

 only as an imperfect and hasty summary, and that we shall grate- 

 fully receive and publish, in a supplementary article, any informa- 

 tion which our correspondents may supply respecting either the 

 late earthquake or any of its predecessors. j. w. d. 



ARTICLE XLVll.— The Meteor of July 20, 1860, by C. S. 

 Lyman. From Silliman's Journal, September, 1860. 



This remarkable meteor was visible over a portion of the earth's 

 surface at least a thousand miles in length, (N. N. W. to S. S.E.) 



