144 REPORT—1857. 
of ae yee in its orbit, which he takes as a fair average. (Etoiles Filantes, 
p. 102. 
Mr. Bompas observes, that, as already seen, the observations indicate a 
maximum of meteors at 6 A.M., and a minimum at 6 p.m.; he also adverts 
to the fact, that the part of the heavens towards which the earth is moving 
at any time is always 90° or 6" from the direction of the sun. Thus at 6 A.M. 
the observer's meridian is in the direction of the earth’s motion, and at 6 P.M. 
in the opposite. In other words, the law is this: that the greatest number of 
meteors is encountered when the observer's meridian is in the direction of the 
earth's motion, and the number diminishes thence regularly to 6 P.m., when 
he looks the opposite way. 
Combining these considerations the author explains the facts on a very 
simple principle, expressed by a construction of which the essential points are 
here represented. 
m, m,, &c. being meteors equally distributed in space would converge to the 
earth at C if at rest, equally on all sides. 
But if the earth move in the direction 
—~<— EC with a velocity half that of the 
average velocity of the meteors, they will 
converge to the earth at E half-way from 
the extremity to the centre; and thus 
two-thirds nearly will fall on the side 
towards C, or would have an apparent 
motion more or less opposed to that of 
the earth, and diverging from the point C<=, 
towards which the earth is moving. 
The author gives this only as a general explanation of the principle. He 
admits that the exact amount is more difficult to determine, and will chiefly 
depend on the proper velocity of meteors, which seems at present not well 
ascertained, and on their average direction, if ascertainable. It will also be 
materially affected (as he points out) by the inclination of the earth’s axis; 
but these points remain for further investigation. 
No. 4.— On the Colours of Luminous Meteors,” by M. A. Poey, Director 
of the Physical and Meteorological Observatory at Havannah. 
(From the Comptes Rendus, vols. xliii. and xliv.) 
The author observes, that, being much interested in the differences of 
colour of luminous meteors, he has drawn up three tables, one of which 
comprehends all the shooting stars and globes recorded as observed in China, 
the second those observed in England (including some other countries), and 
the third those at Paris. For the first table, he has made use of the well- 
known catalogue by Edouard Biot * of the shooting stars and globes ob- 
served in China during 24 centuries, since the 7th century before Christ to 
the middle of the 17th of our era. For the second table, he has had 
recourse to catalogues published annually in England, from 1841 to 1855, 
by Prof. Baden Powell, in the Reports of the British Association for the 
Advancement of Science. Lastly, for the third table, he has used the cata- 
logue of shooting globes observed at Paris, from 1841 to 1853, by M. Coul- 
vier-Gravier. Thus these three tables together comprise 2145 cases of 
coloured shooting stars and globes observed in these several localities. With 
respect to coloured shooting stars and globes, he has found nothing in the 
catalogues of Messrs. Quetelet, Herrick, Chasles and Perry. In the three 
tables is given the monthly distribution of the different colour of shooting 
* Mémoires des Savants Etrangers, vol. x. pp. 129 and 415. 
