356 Shooting Siars of December 6 and 7, 1838. 
telescopic observations, and what light airs there were, being from 
W. N. W., we were surprised by the frequency of those meteoric 
exhibitions called falling stars. From 6 to 7 o’clock, five min- 
utes rarely elapsed without one, and frequently several descended 
in guick succession, so that by estimation, I should think about 
thirty were seen in that time. But from 7 to 8, it was very sel- 
dom that a single minute passed without a meteor, and for a con- 
siderable time it literally rained [?] without any intermission. 
After 8 o’clock they became less numerous again, but still equal 
to what had been observed at first, till half past 9. Nor had they 
ceased between 10 and 11; and when returning home after mid- 
night, though the moon was shining brightly, I counted several. 
They were not of one kind alone, but of all the species usually 
enumerated ; nor did they fall from one part of the heavens only, 
but were widely diffused, and took various directions, chiefly to- 
wards the S. and E., but not always. The mass of them were 
not brilliant nor rapid, though occasionally there were some 
splendid specimens of both, and then commonly with a train. 
Very many of them came apparently from the zenith, faint and 
blue, and nearly perpendicular. Icannot estimate the number at 
less than 300; and though it is a mere guess, for I soon found it 
useless to try and count them, I am inclined to think that below 
the truth. T'etney, (N. lat. 53° 28’; W. lon. 50”) near Girimsby, 
Lincolnshire, Dec. 8, 1838.” 
This account is much less definite than could be desired. The 
observations appear to have been made chiefly by one person, 
watching only a part of the time. 
3. In a letter dated Savannah, Ga., May 4, 1839, Mr. Thomas 
R. Dutton communicates the following: “ After I wrote you in 
regard to the December shower of 1838, I obtained some inform- 
ation with regard to it from Captain Dyer of the ship Eli Whit- 
ney. He was then on his passage from Boston to this place, and 
off Cape Lookout, (about N. lat. 34°; W. lon. 77°). He made 
no memoranda at the time, and is not therefore certain of the 
date, but thinks it was on the night of the eighth; [more proba- 
bly the seventh.) He says, ‘The meteors started, with few ex- 
ceptions, from the meridian or near the zenith, and moved to the 
W. and sometimes S. W. I noticed a few, however, moving to 
the E. A great many I observed to commence their movement 
a little to the W. of Capella, and others to the W. of Aldebaran, 
