A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 111 
W., with an altitude of only 12°. The course of the meteor was evidently 
such as to be nearest the spectator when in the true N.W. or W.N.W. 
The place of the meteor when it burst stands thus :— 
Kelland, N. 20° E. (mag.) Alt. 5°. 
Stirling, N. 25° E. Alt. 8° 90’. 
Forbes, N. 29° E. Alt. 6°. 
The average is almost 25° E. of N., or about 1° W. of the true meridian, 
the variation being nearly 26°. The mean of the three observations of alti- 
tude would be 6° 30'; but admitting Mr. Stirling’s to be entitled to the 
greatest confidence, we may suppose it 7°, or possibly a little more. 
At St. Andrews, the meteor was seen by Dr. Adamson, when riding in a 
‘northerly direction, on the Largo road. Professor Fischer was so kind as to 
accompany him afterwards to the spot, and to reduce his observations with 
all the accuracy of which they were capable. It was first noticed when bear- 
ing 83° W. of magnetic N., and disappeared at 424° E. of N.; the altitude 
was conjecturally stated as between 14° and 184°, 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 travelling on together until 
the last. 
Another intelligent observer near St.Andrews, whose evidence was taken 
by Mr. Fischer, first saw the meteor 293°°W. of magnetic N., and estimated 
the point where the meteor burst at 44° E. of N.; but this last number coin- 
cides so closely with Dr. Adamson’s estimate of the point of final disappear- 
ance, 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 are 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 declination to be 
about 25°46’. The altitude of the meteor, as seen by this observer, appears 
not to have exceeded 15° (the same as at Edinburgh); 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 num- 
bers 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 bear- 
ing, when first seen, was 46° 5. of W. true; its angular altitude was at that 
time only 3° 30’. 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 alti- 
tude in the S.W. quarter of the heavens, and disappeared in a similar way in 
the N.N.E., attaining its greatest elevation about W.N.W. (true). 
At Glasgow the meteor was very generally and well seen. Mr. William 
Gourlie, jun., saw it move from S.W. to N.N.E., over an are of 60° or 70°, 
and divide into two, when it bore 40° E. of magnetic N. He estimates its 
greatest elevation at 50°, and that it decreased to between 15° and 17°, or 
even less, at the time of its separation: he adds, that he is not much ac- 
customed to such observations. Mr. A.D. Stevenson, living in South Port- 
land Street, Glasgow, saw the meteor moving along at a height just suf- 
