178 REPORT—1852. 
Report on Observations of Luminous Meteors, 1851-52. By the Rev. 
Bapen Powe tt, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., F.G.S., Savilian Pro- 
fessor of Geometry in the University of Oxford. 
In submitting to the British Association a fifth report in continuation of 
former ones on observations of Luminous Meteors, I am bound to acknow- 
ledge the contributions (as heretofore) of Dr. Buist, the Rev. J. Slatter, Mr. 
J. King Watts, the Rev. T. Rankin and Mr. Birt, besides several other friends 
who have favoured me with occasional observations: to Mr. E. J. Lowe I am 
especially indebted for communicating, besides his own valuable series, those 
of Mr. Lawson, and the very exact observations of M. Bulard, and a series ob« 
served by the Rev. J. B. Reade and several friends. 
These latter sets of observations have each been drawn up in such complete 
and distinct tabular forms that I have judged it better for the most part to 
retain them in the order in which they were communicated, than to attempt 
to reduce them to a more strict chronological arrangement. 
I have also received a considerable series of older meteor-observations by 
T. W. Webb, Esq., of Ganarew, near Monmouth, extending over a period 
of upwards of thirty years prior to 1850. As it was found almost impossi- 
ble to reduce these to the tabular form, they are given precisely as they were 
communicated : they in several instances afford points of comparison with 
former records, and supply deficiencies in them. 
I. Observations of Luminous Meteors, from 1818 to 1850, extracted from old 
diaries of natural phenomena. By THomas WiLL1AM Wess, Esq., of 
Ganarew, Monmouth. 
1818. Jan. 5.—A meteor about 55 30™ p.m.; it passed from N.E. to §.W. 
across the zenith ; its observed time was about 3 secs. (This is but an uncer- 
tain observation, from youth and inexperience.) 
1820. Aug. 10.—My father, the Rev. John Webb, “informed me that as 
he was travelling about a quarter past 2 A.M., he saw a remarkable meteor. 
It was somewhere near Auriga, and had the appearance of a luminous line, 
with sparks issuing in great quantity from both sides of it. This soon dis- 
appeared gradually, and directly after, another, much less bright, was seen 
further on, which lasted only for a moment.” He was also informed, that 
« one had been seen about 11 p.m., which was much brighter and lasted longer. 
Shooting stars were observed in surprising numbers all night.” 
1821. Aug. 23.—The same gentleman supposed that a meteor might have 
appeared about 9 p.m. “in the N.W. part of the sky, as he sawa light on the 
hedges before him (he was then going S.E.) such as would be produced by 
the sudden appearance of a candle, or the flash of a gun. It was accompanied 
by a noise like a rushing gale. The weather was hot, and the sky serene and 
cloudless, without a breath of wind. It should be observed that there was a 
thunder-storm on the evening of the 24th” (and therefore this observation is 
only so far valuable as it may be corroborated by others. It was in South 
Herefordshire). 
1821. Sept. 9.—A meteor about 8" p.m. at some height in the north. It 
had the appearance of a star, about as bright as Venus, and disappeared 
instantly without motion. 
1822. Nov. 28.—About 9" 45™ p.m. I saw a falling star which appeared, 
at first, quite as bright, if not brighter, than a star of the first magnitude, but 
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