390 Meteoric Shower of November, 1837. 
that time constitutes one of the periods of the recurrence of the 
phenomenon, 
3. Asin preceding years, nearly all the meteors moved in lines 
which radiated from the same centre; and the point of radiation was 
as heretofore in the constellation Leo, and almost precisely in the 
same part of Leo as the “ radiant” of last year. 
The fact noticed by Mr. Fitch, that, on the 16th of October, the 
radiant was in Gemini, and moved successively forward in the di- 
rection of the earth’s motion in its orbit, keeping nearly or exactly 
in the line of its tangent, is an observation of great interest and 
importance, and plainly indicates a connexion between the pheno- 
menon and the revolution of the earth around the sun, a connexion 
‘which has been recognized from many other independent sources of 
evidence. It is also a fact of similar interest, that the radiant point 
of the shooting stars was always in the region occupied by the 
extreme visible portions of the Zodiacal Light, or rather a little 
westward of the vistble parts of that light. This light has been 
very conspicuous in the east the present autumn. As early as Oc- 
tober 5th, it became distinctly visible in the east before the dawn 
of day, reaching as high at least as the Nebulaof Cancer. It trav- 
~elled eastward nearly at the same pace with the sun, and, on the 
2d of November terminated near Regulus, and had sensibly increased 
in brightness. On the morning of November 8th (the last time I 
saw it before the 13th) it was still brighter, and advancing at nearly 
the same rate as before. The western sky had for some time been 
unfavorable for observations on this light, on account of the moon; 
but on the 29th of October I searched for it diligently in the west- 
ern sky, after twilight, but could not detect the least trace of it. 
As soon after the 13th, as the absence of the moon and the state of 
the weather would permit, 1 began to renew the search in the 
west. Although very soon after the 13th, that part of the milky 
way where the Zodiacal Light usually crosses it, appeared more 
‘Juminous than common, yet the illumination was ambiguous from 
the presence of Venus, and I could not feel certain of seeing the 
Zodiacal Light until the evening of the 2lst, when, in company 
with three of my astronomical associates, I observed it under very 
favorable circumstances. At 7 o’clock in the evening, (Venus being 
“near the horizon, and hidden behind acloud,) we were severally able 
to define the boundaries of the Zodiacal Light. By fixing the right 
eye on the milky way near the Eagle, and the left eye near the 
