t 



313 



stated as between 14° and 18}>", and it appeared to move horizontally, 

 but rather declining towards the N. 



" After describing three-fourths of its course, it split into two parts, 

 which went on close together for a little, then broke into four or five, 

 became dull red, and rapidly disappeared ; the separate pieces travel- 

 ling on together until the last. 



" Another intelligent observer near St Andrews, whose evidence 

 was taken by Mr Fischer, first saw the meteor 29f ° W. of magnetic 

 N., and estimated the point where the meteor burst at 44^ E. of N. ; 

 but this last number coincides so closely with Dr Adamson's estimate 

 of the point of final disappearance, that it is perhaps allowable to 

 suppose, that this second observer had mixed up these two events in 

 his description. Dr Adamson's statement, that one-fourth of the 

 arc which he saw was described after the meteor had split, would 

 give an azimuth at that moment of almost 30° E. of N. magnetic, 

 or 4° E. of N. true, as Mr Fischer determined the magnetic decli- 

 nation to be about 25^ 46'. The altitude of the meteor, as seen by 

 this observer, appears not to have exceeded 1 5° (the same as at Edin- 

 burgh) ; which number we shall therefore adopt. 



" At Perth, the passage of the meteor was seen from the North 

 Inch, by a young gentleman of intelligence, whose observations were 

 reduced to numbers by Mr Miller, Rector of the Perth Academy, 

 who was so good as to accompany him to the spot, and take the 

 angles with a theodolite. Its bearing, when first seen, was 46° S. 

 of W. true ; its angular altitude was at that time only 3° SCy. This 

 is by far the most southern azimuth which has been observed. Its 

 bearing, when it disappeared, was 6° W. of N., but it was then lost 

 in a cloud. If I understand right, it had, by this time, separated 

 into fragments. Its apparent altitude, in the middle of its course, 

 was about 17" 30'. These observations, extending over an arc of 

 130°, taken along with Professor Kelland's, clearly demonstrate that 

 the meteor appeared with a very low altitude in the SW. quarter of 

 £lie heavens, and disappeared in a similar way in the NNE., attain- 

 ing its greatest elevation about WNW. (true.) 



" At Glasgow the meteor was very generally and well seen. Mr 

 William Gourlie junior saw it move from SW. to NNE., over an 

 arc of 60° or 70°, and divide into two, when it bore 40° E. of mag- 

 netic N. He estimates its greatest elevation at 30°, and that it 



