~ 
Star-Showers of Former Times. 365 
some slight indications that such radiant was noticed, occur in 
Nos. 14, 16, 29, 35. No comparison as to this particular can be 
made between the ancient and the modern meteoric displays.* 
If the foregoing catalogue comprised all the star-showers that 
have ever occurred, it would be easy to determine the cycle of the 
shower of any particular date. In the present state of our knowl- 
edge, it may be inferred that the cycle of the November shower 
is about thirty four years. ‘There is of course some ground for 
expecting about the year 1867, a recurrence of the splendid dis- 
plays of November 13, 1832 and 1833. It is remarkable that 
Humboldt mentions that the earthquakes of 1766 in South Amer- 
iea, were ‘preceded by phenomena like those of November 12, 
799. I have searched several American newspapers of the 
former period, but find no trace of any such meteoric display in 
the United States. The cycle of the April shower may be about 
twenty seven years ; but it does not appear that any unusual num- 
ber of meteors was seen in April, 1830. It is, however, not to be 
supposed that the cycle remains constant through successive ages. 
A just theory of shooting stars must explain all the meteoric 
showers enumerated in the foregoing list, so far as they are truly 
stated. It must likewise account for all the meteoric seasons 
Which exist at the present time, and also for the shooting stars of 
daily occurrence, which, taking into view the whole globe, are 
exceedingly numerous. The most probable hypothesis is, that 
there are revolving around the sun, millions of small planetary and 
nebulous bodies, of various magnitudes and densities; and that 
When any of these dart through our atmosphere, they become 
ignited and are seen as shooting stars. 'To ascertain the mode 
in which they are arranged in the solar system, is an important 
Object of inquiry. A single zone or ring of such bodies is insuffi- 
Cient to account for all the known phenomena. 
BSc ape he OMS IE Sele Aree 
ccurrant inter Se, ventorumque prelia suscitant. Sin vero de quatuor plagis rust, 
hyemes Varias ferunt, atque etiam fulmina, tonitrua, et que alia hujusmodi sunt.” — 
Claud. Pro}. lib. de judiciis, interp. J. Camerario, fol. Basil. 1551, p. 403 
Vol. xt, No. 2.—Jan.-March, 1841, 47 
