590 COSMOS. 



they were more easily broken during the first day after the 

 fall than subsequently. I have intentionally given more time 

 to this phenomenon, in order to be able to compare it with 

 another of the 13th of September, 1768. About half-past 

 four o'clock in the afternoon of the above-mentioned day, a 

 dark cloud was seen near the village of Luce (Dep. d'Eure et 

 Loire) 4 miles westward of Chartres, in which a noise was 

 heard like a cannon shot, and at the same time a hissing was 

 perceived in the air caused by the fall of a black stone mov- 

 ing in a curve. The stone, which had penetrated into the 

 Earth, weighed 7tjlbs., and was so hot that it could not be 

 touched. It was very imperfectly analyzed by Lavoisier, 

 Fougeroux, and Cadet. No phenomena of light were per- 

 ceived throughout the whole occurrence. 



As soon as the observation of periodic falls of shooting 

 stars was commenced, and their appearance on certain nights 

 expected, it was remarked that the frequency of the meteors 



reign a plough, a yoke, an axe, and a bowl of golden work- 

 manship dropping down from heaven, fell on the Scythian 

 territory ; that the eldest, seeing them first, approached, in- 

 tending to take them up, but as he came near, the gold began 

 to burn ; when he had retired the second went up, and it did 

 the same again ; accordingly the burning gold repulsed these ; 

 but when the youngest went up the third, it became extin- 

 guished, and he carried the things home with him ; and that 

 the elder brothers in consequence of this giving way, surren- 

 dered the whole authority to the youngest. 6. From Lipox- 

 ais, they say, are descended those Scythians who are called 

 Auchata3; from the second, Apoxais, those who are called 

 Catiari and Traspies ; and from the youngest of them, the 

 royal race, who are called Paralatai. But all have the name 

 of Scoloti, from the surname of their king ; but the Grecians 

 call them Scythians. 7. The Scythians say that such was 

 their origin ; and thev reckon the whole number of years 

 from their first beginning, from king Targitaus to the time 

 that Darius crossed over against them, to be not more than a 



