On Shooting Stars and Meteors. 23 
endeavouring to search for a cause, we naturally attribute this 
to the additional heat of the air in summer, as afforded by solar 
influence. 
To the 3d Query,—I beg to say that meteors shoot in all di- 
rections beneath their visible altitudes ; for I have never seen any 
one of them ascend, except it had met with the resistance of some 
object on or near the ground; although I have witnessed those 
of the apparent size of Jupiter come down in the summer even- 
ings nearly to the top of my observatory. If their absolute gravity 
by the process of condensation be such as not to be obstructed 
in their motion by the resistance of the medium in which they 
move, the allusion to their ascension is not consistent with the 
known laws of gravitation. 
In reply to the 4th Query,—I answer that it is possible. Be- 
cause I have often seen the luminous tails or trains that have been 
left by some meteors shooting in almost a horizontal direction, 
full three seconds of time after the disappearance of the ignited 
bedies from which they had emanated. 
To the 5th Query,—I have only to say, that without an expe- 
rimental proof I should be unwilling to throw out any positive 
assertion, that the whole appearances of shooting stars and me- 
teors are referrible to one class of bodies; or, if I rightly com- 
prehend this question, that they are all generated by similar at- 
mospherical properties. Among all the ancient and modern con- 
flicting opinions of the cause of igneous meteors, it is to be re- 
gretted that we are still left in doubt, from want of experiments, 
which, unfortunately, appear to be beyond the reach of human 
ingenuity. 
My first object for registering the different sorts of meteors (in 
connexion with a variety of other atmospherical phenomena) 
was not purposely to ascertain their cause, but to endeavour to 
trace whether and what effects they would have on the weather: 
and I have found that they are generally succeeded by strong gales 
of wind, &c. but not from any particular point of the compass, 
as some observers have attempted to prognosticate by their di- 
rection, 
In regard to their classes, I would recommend to Mr. Farey to 
read Mr. Forster’s ‘* Researches about Atmospheric Phenomena,” 
with which, if he has not already perused that work, he will be 
much gratified. The meteors or balls of fire, however, that I have 
sometimes seen descend from thunder clouds to and near the 
ground during a storm, should (1 think) be classed separately from 
the others; as it is very probable that their embodied forms are 
generated by a rapid accumulation and condensation of electricity 
in, aud its ultimate dispersion from, the clouds positively charged. 
The converging aud diverging motions of insulated pith-balls 
suspended 
