On the Meteors of lSlh November ; 1S33. . 327 



tfian who was at the time pursuing his studies as a member of the Wes- 

 leyan University at Middletown. Mr. Merrick in company with many 

 others, one of whom was Lieut. W. W. Mather, of the National Mil. 

 Acad, observed this point with precision, from a quarter before 5, A. 

 M. to a quarter-before 6, and assigned its position by the stars, in a spot 

 hereafter to be mentioned; he observed indeed a small motion from S. 

 to N* by E, but none from W. to E. Neglecting anonymous testimo- 

 nies, from different places, which might be referred to, if the authors 

 and the evidence were known, we shall finally mention a circumstance 

 related by Mr. Wm. Lester, a surveyor of established reputation in 

 Connecticut, who watched the meteoric shower for a considerable 

 time before sunrise, from a spot near Norwich, Con. A little after 

 sunrise, Mr. Lester moved into the shadow of a house which was es- 

 tablished by the cardinal points, and directed his eye to the zenith, 

 by the S. W. corner as a guide. Standing thus, he saw over head, in 

 or near the zenith, several meteors which had a course to N. E. and 

 E ; and the point from which they proceeded was, to appearance, 

 about 8° west of the meridian. Mr. L. was now certain of what 

 he had before judged to be the fact, that the radiant lay W. of South. 

 This concurrence of testimony from the most credible observ- 

 ers leaves no room to question the fact of a fixed position of the ra- 

 diant among the stars, during the two hours and a half * to which 

 the testimony applies ; but it is a disappointment that we have not 

 been able, after unwearied efforts, to meet with one individual in 

 this section of the country who can give a consistent and cer- 

 tain account of the location of that point at an hour earlier than a 

 quarter before five, A. M. It must be the fact that there are per- 

 sons in the United States who can, even now, furnish valuable 

 information upon this subject, if they should happen to become 

 apprised of the high importance of the question ; but, as the evi- 

 dence now stands, we are reduced to the discussion of mere prob- 

 abilities. 



If the location of the point of radiation remained fixed in Leo, 

 during the whole meteoric display it would follow that at two o'clock 

 its altitude could be but little more than 30°. In so low a position of 

 the radiant the meteors would have been seen, for the most part, in 

 ascending directions ; yet only two statements, it is believed, one at 



* That is from a quarter before five it Middletown, Conn., to nearly a quarter 

 before six at Worthington, Ohio. 



