Meteoric Shower of November, 1836. 181 
hastily to Electricity, a quietus was given to all farther attempts at 
explanation, while yet even the presence of this agent, in any extra- 
ordinary degree, has never been proved. Magnetism has done 
more ; the auroral vapor is proved to have magnetic properties ; but 
still this fact gives us no information respecting its origin. 
believe, is to be sought for in a source extrinsic to the earth. 
4. Foreign Accounts of the Meteoric Shower of November, 1836. 
In our last number, we published a statement of the observations 
which had been made in this country, on the Meteoric Shower of 
November last. We learn that, in consequence of an invitation issu- 
ed by the French Academy, the same occurrence was extensively 
observed by the astronomers of Europe, which resulted in a full con- 
viction of the periodical nature of this phenomenon, in accordance 
with the views of Prof. Olmsted, as expressed in preceding numbers 
of this Journal. A digest of numerous observations, was laid before 
the Academy by M. Arago, which was followed by an interesting 
communication on the same subject by M. Biot. Not having yet 
received the French journals containing these memoirs, and not hav- 
ing room among our miscellanies for a full notice of them contained 
in the London Atheneum for January 7, 1837, we restrict ourselves 
to a few brief extracts. 
**T do not conclude from the preceding considerations (adds M. 
Biot) that the meteors of the 13th of November are certainly caused 
by the collision and perturbations of the solar nebula with and from 
the Earth. I neither affirm nor reject this identity ; all Ihave been 
desirous of showing is, that on the 13th of November the Earth is 
near the ascending node of the nebula, towards which she directs 
her course, and soon traverses ; that in these circumstances of posi- 
tion and movement, she must certainly act by attraction and collision 
on the material particles of the nebula, which at that period would 
be found near the ascending nodes of their orbits, and at an equal 
distance from the Sun and Earth, or very nearly so, whence would 
result phenomena coincident in direction and period with the meteoric 
period of the 13th of November. Lastly, I have remarked, that the 
usual passage of Mercury and Venus across much more central re- 
gions of the nebula, must necessarily have disseminated, and do per- 
haps still disseminate, innumerable particles i into orbits very little in- 
clined to the ecliptic, and directed in all ways; so that the Earth 
may accidentally meet with them in other points of her course. 
