A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 89 
by curve-diagrams and maps, which I have in progress, and which I expect to 
be the most complete ever tabulated—about two thousand earthquakes, new to 
any previous catalogue, have been already collected, arranged and tabulated. 
The bibliographical catalogue of works relating to earthquakes has also 
been brought to a very forward state, and through the assistance of friends 
abroad I have been enabled to obtain complete excerpts of the seismological 
books existing in several of the most important foreign libraries ; when finish- 
ed, therefore, I expect this will form a better index to future students of this 
interesting branch of physical geology than they have before had access to. 
I am indebted to Dr. Robinson for some valuable suggestions as respects 
my experimental determination of wave transits above adverted to, and to 
my eldest son, William Mallet, for much laborious aid in the preparation of 
those catalogues; but these and other such obligations received from other 
friends will best be fully acknowledged hereafter. 
I would beg the favour (as I am myself unable to be present at the Edin- 
burgh meeting) of your presenting this in the proper quarter, as the provi- 
sional report upon the above matters, in order that the views of the Associa- 
tion may be ascertained upon the question of a second report, &c. 
Believe me truly yours, Ropert MALLET. 
On Observations of Luminous Meteors ; continued from the Reports of 
the British Association for 1849. By the Rev. BADEN PowE LL, 
M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., F.G.S., Savilian Professor of Geometry in 
the University of Oxford. 
In continuing my report to the British Association for the year elapsed since 
the last Meeting, on observations of Luminous Meteors made in various parts 
of the world, I have been aided by the contributions of many friends, among 
whom Mr. Lowe, as on former occasions, has been pre-eminent in the number 
of observations he has kindly communicated. From other quarters I have 
not received so many as last year, though Dr. Buist has favoured me with a 
considerable number from India. I have also been enabled to prefix a notice 
of some older observations which in some instances throw light on those in 
former reports. 
The arrangement of the tables is nearly the same as before, with a slight 
extension in their form, which it is hoped will add to their perspicuity. The 
time is usually only common clock time, and therefore open to much uncer- 
tainty, unless otherwise expressed; but in all Mr. Lowe's observations it is 
Greenwich mean time. 
I. List of a few Meteors prior to the date of the commencement of the 
Catalogue for 1849-50. 
(i.) 1848 or 1829. At Allport, Derbyshire, about the end of August or 
_ beginning of September, at 3 p.m., a bright light was seen to traverse the sky, 
" slowly when it exploded, with a loud noise; pieces fell in a field of mown 
grass, where persons at work picked them up. A specimen was picked up 
_ and preserved by B. Staley, Esq. 
It was analysed by Dr. R. A. Smith. It contains oxide of iron, making 
its specific gravity about 2; also free sulphur, which appears in minute 
crystals visible to the naked eye as a fine dust as soon as a fresh surface is 
exposed. Its composition is in these respects totally unlike any other meteorite. 
It contains also charcoal, which might perhaps be acquired from matter 
among which it fell. The analysis by Dr. R. A. Smith is as follows:— 
