AEROLITES. 587 



Jlfeteoric stones fall the most rarely in a quite clear sky, 

 without the previous formation of a black meteor-cloud, with- 

 out any visible phenomenon of light, but with a terrible crack- 

 ling, as upon the 6th of September, 1843, near Klein - 

 Wenden, not far from Muhlhausen ; or they fall, and this 

 more frequently, shot out of a suddenly formed dark cloud, 

 accompanied by phenomena of sound, though without light; 

 finally, and indeed the most frequently, the falls of meteoric 

 stones present themselves in close connection with brilliant 

 fire-balls. Of this connection the falls of stones at Barbotan 

 (Dep. desLandes) on the 24th of July, 1790, with a simul- 

 taneous appearance of a ed fire-ball and a white meteoric 

 cloud, 84 from which the aerolites fell; the fall of stones at 

 Benares, in Hindostan, 13th December, 1798, and that of 

 Aigle (Dep. de L'Orne), on the 26th of April, 1803, afford 

 well-described and indubitable examples. The last of the 

 phenomena here mentioned that which among all has been 

 investigated and described with the greatest care by Biot 

 has filially, 23 centuries after the great Thracian fall of stones, 

 and 300 years since a Frate was killed by an aerolite at Crema, 2 * 



u Kanitz, LeJirbuch der JHeteorologie, vol. iii. p. 277. 



25 The great fall of aerolites at Crema, and on the shores of 

 Adda, is described with especial vivacity, but unfortunately 

 in a rhetorical and vague manner, by the celebrated Petrus 

 Martyr, of Anghiera (Opus Epistolarum, Amst. 1670, 

 no. cccclxv. pp. 245-246). What preceded the fall itself was 

 an almost total darkening on the 4th of September, 1511, at 

 the noon hour. ** Farna est, pavonem immensum in aerea 

 Cremensi plaga fuisse visum. Pavo visus in pyramidem con- 

 verti, adeoque celeri ab occidente in orientem raptari cursu, 

 ut in horai mornento magnam hemisphaBrii partein, doctorum 

 inspectantium sententia, pervolasse credatur. Ex nubium 

 illico densitate tenebras ferunt surrexisse, quales viventium 

 nullus unquam se cognovisse fateatur. Per earn noctis faciem, 

 cum formidolosis fulguribus, inaudita tonitrua regionem 

 *" The report is, that ax enormous 



