332 Shooting Stars of August 9 and 10, 1840. 
The night of Monday, the 10th, was clear, but as the light of 
the moon, nearly full, rendered observation exceedingly irksome, 
we watched only so far as to make sure that meteors were less 
abundant than on the preceding night. Mr. A. B. Haile and my- 
self watched from 10h. to 11h. P. M. and saw in the N. E. six 
meteors, and in the N. W. seven. From the observations of a 
person who was out about 3 A. M. (11th,) I inferred that the 
number at that time was not far from 200 an hour. The nights 
of the 11th, 12th and 13th were overcast,—the first ” to mid- 
night, and the others until morning. 
Observations at Jamaica, L. I., 9 miles E. New York City. 
The following particulars have been communicated to me by 
my friend, Mr. George C. Schaeffer. ‘About the first of Au- 
gust, the majority of several bright meteors which I saw, seemed 
to indicate a common radiant. I also received a note from a 
friend who had his attention attracted by several brilliant meteors 
between 11 and 12 o’clock on the 2d inst. They were appa- 
rently not much more numerous than usual, but appear to have 
radiated from a common point. 
“On the evening of Saturday, the Sth, I saw nothing remark- 
able, but about 3 A. M. (9th,) I saw five or six meteors within a 
few minutes, but watched some time longer without seeing more. 
On the evening of the 9th, I saw several, although the moon 
was very bright. When the moon was about setting, { found 
the number of meteors was considerable, and from about 2h. 
15m. A. M. (10th,) I kept a sharp lookout, with an intermission 
only of about five minutes, directing my attention towards Cas- 
siopeia. During the hour from 2h. 15m. to 3h. 15m. I counted 
sixty seven meteors, and in the next half hour I counted ¢hir- 
ty eight, and in all until I retired, (about 4h. A. M.,) one hun- 
dred and twelve. It will be seen that notwithstanding the light 
of day, the number was on the increase during the last half 
hour. Most of the meteors were above the second magnitude; 
some were very bright and left trains; few were very small, and 
still fewer were nonconformists. I was struck by one peculiarity 
Sich continued during the night,—the appearance of four or 
eors in rapid succession, and then a considerable pause. 
. (or rather the centre of the region) of radiation, care- 
| by | Was at 3 A. M. a little south of a point one third 
