408 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP, 
first appearance of the phenomenon, there was 
not in the firmament a space equal in extent 
to three diameters of the moon which was not 
filled every instant with bolides and falling 
stars. The first were fewer in number, but 
as they were of different sizes it was impos- 
sible to fix the limit between these two classes 
of phenomena. All these meteors left lumi- 
nous traces from five to ten degrees in length, 
as often happens in the equinoctial regions. 
The phosphorescence of these traces, or lumi- 
nous bands, lasted seven or eight seconds. 
Many of the falling stars had a very distinct 
nucleus, as large as the disc of Jupiter, from 
which darted sparks of vivid light. The 
bodies seemed to burst as by explosion; but 
the largest, those from 1° to 1° 15' in diameter, 
disappeared without scintillation, leaving be- 
hind them phosphorescent bands (trabes), 
exceeding in breadth fifteen or twenty min- 
utes. The light of these meteors was white, 
and not reddish, which must doubtless be 
attributed to the absence of vapour and the 
extreme transparency of the air.” * 
1Humboldt, Travels. 
te! nae ene 
