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XIV. An Account of tivo fmgular Meteors. 



J\ LUMINOUS body was obferved in the canton of 

 Calvire, on the evening of the 8th of March laft. It appeared 

 to direct its courfe from the eaft to the weft, traverfing the 

 heavens from Calvire to Mont-d'Or, where it fell. It made 

 itfelf be diftinguifhed in its courfe by a noife like that of a. 

 long and violent difcharge of mufketry. Lalande has pub- 

 lifhed the following note refpecting thefe fmgular meteors : 



u One frequently obferves," fays he, "globes of fire in the 

 atmofphere. I have mentioned above 36 inftances of that 

 kind in the Connoifances des Temps for the year 1779. That 

 obferved on the iSth of Ventofe (March 8) in the depart- 

 ment of Ain, at feven in the evening, was attended with 

 fome lingular circumftances. The heavens were ferene, 

 and a large globe, as big as the moon, was feen to proceed 

 from the eaft, and to advance with a rapid motion towards 

 the weft. It was followed by a train of light, the rays of 

 which, collected into bundles, were terminated by fmall 

 globes. Six or feven fprigs of ftars were feen on each fide 

 of the train. At the end of fome feconds there was an ex- 

 plofion like a lengthened clap of thunder, or the loud report 

 of a cannon. This meteor dirruftd fuch a light that day 

 feemed to have returned, and people in dark apartment$ 

 could fee each other. 



" This globe was at fuch a diftance, that it could be feen, 

 jz the fame time, in places feven or eight leagues afunder. 

 A defcription of it was fent to me by citizen Riboud, at Jof- 

 feran, and citizen Langcron, at Thorfey. Had it been at a 

 greater diftance, it would have appeared only like thofe falling 

 ftars which are obferved fo frequently. The common caufe 

 of thefe phenomena appears to be hydrogenous gas, fet Qfi 

 fire, by fome means, in the atmofphere." 



On the 25th of March the following curious phenomenon 

 was obferved at Niort : Between the hours of fix and eight 

 in the morning the fun appeared accompanied by two radi- 

 ant 



