152 On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 



III the former part of this article, (p. 409.) the following query 

 was raised : Could bodies constituted like knotvn aerolites, falling from 

 any supposed height into the atmosphere, generate heat sufficient*, by 

 the abrasion or condensation of the air, to dissipate them in a cloud 

 of smoke before they reached the earth 9 It was deemed the most phi- 

 losophical, first to inquire whether these bodies could be supposed to 

 have the constitution of known aerolites, that is, of a class of sub- 

 stances which are known to fall from certain meteors, before assign- 

 ing to them a different constitution. Several considerations, how- 

 ever, induce me to think that the bodies in question could not have 

 been so constituted. In the first place, bodies as large as some of 

 these were, composed like meteoric stones, of iron, silex, magnesia, 

 &c. cannot be supposed to have undergone such complete destruc- 

 tion in a very few seconds of time. The Weston meteor of 1807, 

 according to Dr. Bowditch, traversed the atmosphere, for more than 

 one hundred miles, at the height of eighteen miles above the surface 

 of the earth, nearly parallel with it, for the space of thirty seconds, 

 but is not supposed to have been consumed or destroyed, but only 



to have thrown off a few superficial fragments, which fell to the 

 earth.* 



In the second place, had these bodies been thus constituted, 

 falling as they did directly towards the earth, they would in many 

 instances, at least, have reached the earth ; and considering their 

 immense numbers, we should have had multiplied and appalling 

 proofs of the fact, in the destruction and ruin that would have mark- 

 ed the places where they fell. Yet no evidence has yet appeared of 

 a single meteoric stone having been found ; and it is even somewhat 

 doubtful whether any palpable substance reached the ground, which 

 could fairly be considered as a deposit from the meteors. 



In the third place, these bodies were, according to the testimony of 

 most observers, unaccompanied by any sound ; and t where such a 

 sound was supposed to be heard, it was only a very faint one ; but 

 falling aerolites are attended by a sound like thunder, or the dis- 

 charge of heavy artillery. 



In the fourth place, if these bodies had proceeded from one large 

 body in space, like the fragments which fell from the Weston meteor, 



* See the remarks of Dr. Bowditch, on the Weston Meteor, Tr. Araer. Acad 

 in. 213, also, President Day and Professor Silliman, on the same subject, Mem 

 Conn. Acad. i. 142-174. 



