A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 41 



" I take the liberty of troubling you with these particulars, as it seems 

 extraordinary that so many large meteors should appear, when, at the same 

 time, very few shooting stars were to be seen, as I was watching one or other 

 part of the heavens on Friday evening, from seven to nine o'clock, and, ex- 

 cepting the one described, did not catch sight of any other, although the 

 night was veiy clesr. 



" I am. Rev, Sir, your obedient Servant, 



" G. A. RowEi-L." 



" Alfred Street, Dec. 6, 1850. 



•' Rev. Sir, — Last night I saw another bright white-coloured meteor, about 

 =Venus ; it descended from somewhere about 6° or 8° east of Saturn, in a 

 straight line a little towards the east of the perpendicular ; its pace was 

 moderate, and it left very little train. My view of it was rather imperfect, 

 but I think, from the point at which it stai'ted to that of its disappearance, it 

 could not be less than 25°. There were very few shooting stars last night ; 

 I only saw one, at about half-past nine o'clock ; it was small, and passed 

 with great velocity, 



" There was not the slightest appearance of an aurora during both even- 

 ings, and I have only seen the aurora twice for some months past, and on 

 both occasions I could not see one shooting star. I beg to suggest that it 

 would be well if parties noting their appearance would notice whether there 

 be an aurora during the time when there are many shooting stars, or during 

 an aurora if there be many meteors. 



" I am. Rev. Sir, your obedient Servant, 



" G. A. RoWELL." 



No. 8. — Letters from the Rev. T. Rankin. 



" Huggate Rectory, near Pockliugton, Dec. 12, 1850. 



" Dear Sir, — On the evening of Monday, the 9th, when coming home 

 from a neighbouring village, with Ursa Major directly before me, shining 

 with great splendour, a large luminous meteor made its appearance in the tail 

 of Ursa, and moved nearly parallel with the body, then made a curved motion 

 below the pointers, and disappeared about 10° above the horizon. The ap- 

 pearance was most brilliant ; the tail was fan-shaped, about double the length 

 or size of the body, which might be four times the size of either of the 

 pointers. Before it disappeared the tail separated in a number of scintillse. 

 The evening was very clear, but a thick haze of about 10" edged the horizon. 

 The day had also been calm and clear. At the time of the appearance the 

 thermometer stood at 31°; barometer, 30'12; wet bulb of the hygrometer 

 2° below the dry (the motion was N.E.). Having expressed a wish, in your 

 Report, for communications upon the occurrence of meteors, I take the plea- 

 sure of forwarding the present account ; 



" Remaining, dear Sir, yours very truly, 



"Professor Powell." " Thos. Rankin." 



" Huggate Rectory, near Pocklington, Jan. 23, 1851. 



" Dear Sir, — On looking over my meteorological memoranda for the last 

 year, I find that on the evening of October 9th there appeared some common 

 shooting or falling stars. There was at the same time some faint aurorae. 

 Barometer 29"58 ; thermometer 42°. The moon in her 5th day. 



" I do not know whether you observed the singular appearance of the 

 moon in her 8th day on the evening of September 14th. It resembled a 

 capital D with a flat bottom. The southern and eastern sides formed a 

 right angle l . I thought at first that some optical illusion had caused the 

 appearance, but having viewed her through some lenses, I found that the 



