Miscellanies. 397 
of each, shot round the moon’s edge, between them, rapidly, till, ata 
certain time, the threads from the two met and joined in one,—thus 
uniting the cusps. Ata certain time following the instant of nearest 
formation of the ring the thread became again disunited, and the reverse 
phenomena of those just mentioned took place. 
In meditating, at the time and occasionally at subsequent times, upon 
this, to me, surprising phenomenon, I could obtain no glimpse of a so- 
lution respecting the probable cause, unless by supposing the existence 
of a lunar atmosphere: It is, I admit, only in one point of view that I 
can be held excusable for offering these phenomena as proof upon this 
high and much questioned topic, antecedently to having myself de- 
monstrated by a rigid process the mode in which a lunar atmosphere 
implies and accounts for just those appearances which I witnessed. 
But, although I am not without my reasonings to fortify the conjecture 
above presented, those are not to my present purpose. An excuse for 
my boldness, if I need one, may be found in the nature of my present 
object, which is simply to invite attention to expected and interesting 
phenomena, on the part of observers among my: countrymen who may 
be favorably situated abroad for devoting to them the requisite attention, 
as well as on the part of any others to whom these unpretending thoughts 
may find way and whom they aay concern. tA, CucF- 
13. Meteors of April 18-20, 1841.—About 8 P. x. on the 18th of April, 
1841, at Vidalia, Louisiana, Prof. Forshey noticed an unusual number 
of meteors in different parts of the heavens, and on tracing their paths 
backwards, found that they traversed the constellation Virgo. Having 
commenced precise observations at half past eight, and continued them 
for three hours, he saw in two hours and a quarter, (forty five minutes 
being lost in recording,) sixty meteors, of which, all but five, passed with- 
in 10° from the common radiant point. These meteors were very unlike 
those of the August shower ; being chiefly without trains, and of a red- 
dish color, few of them of the first magnitude, and the greater number 
of the third and inferior magnitudes. Their velocities were remarkably 
equal and gentle; their paths short, and their light first increasing and 
then waning. Prof. F. determined their radiant point to be in a line 
drawn bom, Spica to 6 Virginis, somewhat nearer to Spica, about R. A. 
198°, S. decl. 8°. The convergent point was therefore in longitude 
19°.6, and lat. N. 0°.3, while the observer’s motion was towards a point 
of the ecliptic, in long. 299°. This gives a deflection of the path of the 
meteors, relatively to the true path of the observer, of 80°.6; and 
hence their true velocity cannot have been much less than that of the 
set or about sixteen geographical miles per second. This obser- 
vation of the convergent point of these meteors, Mr. Walker regards 
