18 



REPORT 1860. 



On the other hand, at p. 50, the time during which tails are visible upon the 

 whole number, with regard to these different colours: — 



;}= 



sec. 



0-85 in 64 observations 



Time of duration for the white shoot 



ing-stars, mean 

 Time of duration for the vellow shoot- 1 A nn . OA , 



ing-stars, mean } = ' 90 ln 80 °bservat 10 ns 

 Time of duration for the yellowish-red j 

 shooting-stars, mean j 

 Time of duration for the green shoot- 1 icn . ,. ±- ,„,„ 



ing-stars, mean} =160in 5 observations, a.d. 1849 



Time of duration for the mist-like orl „ „, . ,_ , 



nebulous shooting-stars, mean} = " 91 ln 12 observations 



a.d. 1849. 

 a.d. 1849. 

 1*28 in 14 observations, a.d. 1849. 

 a.d. 1849. 

 a.d. 1849. 



Likewise in the year 1850 the longer duration of the coloured meteors 

 showed itself in the following proportional means : — 



sees. 

 Duration of the white =1*16 in 12 observations. 



Duration of the yellow =1*25 in 8 observations. 



Duration of the yellowish red = 1*41 in 6 observations. 



If we consider the time during which the light of the meteor itself lasted 

 without regard to any other phenomena, we find in his catalogue the follow- 

 ing instances which show that in the case of many thousand observations 

 it is very rare that a shooting-star or meteor remains visible for more than 5 

 seconds. 



The following remarks on the hypothesis that the intensity of the light 

 of the meteors is caused by the oxygen in the atmosphere, are here translated 

 verbatim from M. Schmidt's communication to M. Haidinger: — 



" In consequence of the observations which were then being made by Ben- 

 zenberg, Brandes, Felder, Heiss, by myself and others, in the year 1851, I 

 examined into this question more closely, and I arrived at a result which was 



* Mr. Greg found one account of this meteor stating it was 20", seen in an arc of 75°. 



