S90 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 

 iieard 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 7|lbs., 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 w r as 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 w r ho are called 

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

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

 royal race, who are called Paralatee. 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 they 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 



