METEORIC SHOWERS. 165 



it up into the sky, being BO bent downwards as to reach the eye. 

 Among the most beautiful phenomena that greet the eye when 

 contemplating the heavens in a serehe night, but more particu- 

 larly in autumn, the shooting stars, or meteors are preeminent; at 

 almost all seasons of the year an attentive observer will perceive 

 them moving swiftly over tho heavens, and occasionally leaving 

 a long luminous train behind. Their oi'igin has not been satis- 

 factorily traced, yet, since their occurrence in unusual numbers, 

 and splendor, is now proved to be periodical, it is supposed they 

 may be in some way connected with that beautiful luminous ap- 

 pearance called the zodiacal light. This is the opinion of Prof. 

 Olmsted, who has devoted much time to this subject, and has 

 been a careful investigator of the facts connected with meteors 

 and the zodiacal light for many years. The " falling stars" seem 

 to have been observed in the earliest times, and were considered 

 as a presage of violent winds, thus Virgil 



"And oft before tempestuous winds arise, 

 The seeming stars fell headlong from the skies, 

 And shooting through tho darkness, gild the night 

 With sweeping lines, and long trains of light." 



The number of meteors visible at ordinary seasons of the year in 

 one night, is quite limited, but we must remember that many of 

 them are very small, and probably too distant to be observed by the 

 unassisted eye. We have often witnessed the passage of meteors 

 through the field of view of a night-glass when sweeping the 

 heavens for comets, and have occasionally seen some very beau- 

 tiful trains not at all visible to the unassisted eye. 



In the year 1833 a most remarkable display of falling stars 

 was witnessed in the United States, but was not seen either in 

 South America or Europe. It occurred on the morning of Nov. 

 13th, and exceeded in magnificence any natural phenomenon we 

 have ever witnessed ; the whole heavens seemed glowing with 

 fire-balls, which were falling in all directions. For many suc- 

 cessive years this exhibition was repeated on the same morning, 

 occurring most abundantly at about 4 o'clock, and apparently ra- 

 diating from one centre, but each year their numbers diminished, 

 and we believe that now, no more are visible upon on that night 



