28 l-ALLING STARS — SWALLOW. 



CHAP IL rubbed with a medusa, becomes luminous, and after the 

 Phosphor- phosphorescence lias ceased it may be rekindled by 

 i-sience pro- passing the dry liand over it ; but when the light is a 



second time extinguished it cannot be rcjjroduced. 

 Failing Between tlie island of Madeira and the coast of Africa, 



*"'"'*■ they were struck by tlic prodigious quantity of falling 



stars, which continued to increase as they advanced 

 soutliward. These meteors, Humboldt remarks, are 

 more common and more luminous in certain regions of 

 the earth than in others. He has nowhere seen them 

 more frequent than in tlie vicinity of the volcanoes of 

 Quito, and in tliat part of the South Sea wliicli washes 

 the shores of Guatimala. According to the oliservations 

 of Benzenberg and Brandes, many falling stars noticed 



iiei«ht of in Europe were only 03,950 yards, or a little more than 



meteors. . . ; , " 



thirty-six miles high ; and one was measured, the ele- 

 vation of which did not exceed 29,843 yards, or about 

 seventeen miles. In warm climates, and especially 

 between the tropics, they often leave behind them a 

 train which remains luminous for twelve or fifteen 

 seconds. At other times they seem to burst, and se- 

 parate into a number of sparks. They are generally 

 much lower than in the north of Europe. These 

 meteors can be observed only when the sky is clear ; 

 and perhaps none has ever been seen beneath a cloud. 

 According to the observations of M. Arago, they usually 

 folluw the same course lor several hours ; and in this 

 case their direction is that of the wind. 



SwiUow. Wlien the voyagers were 138 miles to the east of 



Madeira, a common swallow {^Ilirundo rustiai) perched 

 on the topsail-yard, and was caught. What could 

 induce a bird, asks our traveller, to fly so far at this 

 sen'ifjn, and in cahn weather J In the ex])edition of 

 Entrecasteaiix, a swallow was also seen at the distance 

 of 207 miles i)if Cajx! Blanco ; but this liappened about 

 tlie end of October, and M. Labillardiere imagined that 

 it liad newly arrived from Juirope. 



The I'iz.irro had l>een orden d to toucli at Lancerota, 

 one of the Canaries, to ascertain whether the harbour lA 



