PORTION OF TFE COSMOS. AEROLITES. 431 



According to Heis, there were observed, on the 10th of 

 August 



In 1839, in 1 hour 160 meteors. 



In 1841 43 



In 1848 50 



In 1842 there fell, in the August stream of meteors, at 

 the time of the maximum of the phenomenon, 34 shooting 

 stars in 10 minutes. All these numbers refer to the sphere 

 of vision of one observer. Since 1888, the November falls 

 have been less remarkable. (However, on the 12th of No- 

 vember, 1839, Heis still counted from 22 to 35 meteors 

 per hour ; and on the 13th November, 1846, from 27 to 

 33.) So much do the streams of meteors differ in abun- 

 dance in particular years. The number of falling meteors 

 is, however, always considerably greater at those periods 

 than in ordinary nights, which shew only 4 or 5 sporadi- 

 cally shooting stars in an hour. It is in January (reckon- 

 ing from the 4th), in February, and in March, that meteors 

 appear to be most rare'' ( 697 ). 



" Although the August and November periods are, with 

 reason, the most remarked, yet, since falling stars have been 

 observed with greater watchfulness and exactness, both in 

 regard to number and parallelism, five other periods have 

 also been recognised : 



January : the two or three first days, from the 1st to 

 the 3d ; still somewhat doubtful. 



April : 18th or 20th ? previously conjectured by Aragq. 



Great streams occurred on the 25th of April, 1095 ; 22d 



April, 1800; 20th April, 1803 (Kosmos, Bd. i. S. 404; 



Eagl. ed. p. xxix. Note 74; Annuaire pour 1836, p. 297). 



May: 26th? 



VOL. III. A A 



