20 Dr. Chladni’s Catalogue of Meteoric Stones, &c. 
1819, 5th November. Red rain in Holland and Flanders, 
according to the dnn.Génér. des Sc.Phys. It is not surprising 
that cobalt and muriatic acid were found in it by analysis, since 
both these substances have been found in meteoric stones. 
1819, in November. Near Montreal and in Maine, during 
an unusual darkness, black dust with an appearance of fire, and 
noise ; whence it may be seen that it was not, as some pretend, 
the result of the burning of a forest, but of a meteoric nature. 
Accounts of it are given in the American and English Journals, 
and repeated in Gilbert’s Annals, vol. lxvii. pp. 187 and 218, 
and vol. lxvili. p. 354. 
? 1820, in the beginning of October. Near Pernambuco in 
Brasil, and on the sea, a substance like silk, in great quantities. 
—Vide Annales de Chim. tom. xv. p.427; where a chemical 
analysis is promised. 
1821, 3rd May. Red rain at and near Giessen, during a 
calm, from a moderate-sized stratus, as detailed in the news- 
‘papers. Professor Zimmermann of that town found it to con~ 
tain, upon a hasty analysis, chromic acid, oxide of iron, silica, 
lime, a trace of magnesia, carbon, and several volatile sub- 
stances, but no nickel. 
This gentleman, according to newspaper accounts, has found 
in the common rain which has fallen for some time past several 
substances which are found in meteoric stones; even iron con- 
taining nickel. However interesting these investigations may be, 
they furnish nothing decisive towards the hypothesis of fire-balls 
and other masses which have fallen on our earth being the 
produce of this planet, since it is very possible that the bodies 
contained in the rain were brought into the atmosphere by the 
uncommonly great number of fiery meteors that have lately 
appeared *. Even if the greater part of our atmosphere con- 
sisted of such substances, or could be transformed into such 
by some Deus ex machind, such meteors, as well as shooting 
stars, cannot be atmospherical; since their course and velocity, 
which have been so frequently determined by observations 
from different stations, and calculations of their parallax, are 
sufficient to evince their cosmical origin as mathematically 
proved. If therefore any one can yet doubt, it is like persons 
perfectly ignorant of the subject affecting to doubt the correct- 
ness of our astronomical and cosmological knowledge. It is 
however easier t® form a partial opinion of things, than to take 
proper notice of what has been done by others. I have as- 
* I have given all the observations I could obtain of the meteors which 
have lately appeared, especially those of last winter, in Gilbert’s Annals, 
vol. Ixxi. No. 4 (1822, No. 8). I regret that from many parts of the 
world similar accounts are withheld. 
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