26 REPORT 1860. 



The catalogue itself may possibly appear in a future volume of the Reports 

 of the British Association. 



An attempt has been made to separate (as aerolitic) the class of detonating 

 meteors, of which more than 100 are separately given ; great care having 

 been taken to obtain the fullest and mo3t accurate list of that class of me- 

 teoric phenomena, as being most interesting and most important, but which 

 has hitherto either been statistically too much neglected, or not sufficiently 

 separated and distinguished from the class of fireballs without detonation ; 

 large fireballs being frequently said to explode or burst, though when so ex- 

 pressed only, it must be construed as without noise. It has likewise been 

 the custom with some writers and observers to rank as aerolitic, all the larger 

 class of fireballs, whether observed to burst with or without detonation. 

 Probably one-third of the larger fireballs, i. e. having an apparent diameter of 

 15' and upwards, burst with an audible explosion, this for those observed at 

 night; of those similarly observed during daytime the proportion (according 

 to Mr. Greg's calculations) is greater, probably about one-half. It is a sin- 

 gular fact, that out of 72 stonefalls, whose precise hour of fall has been 

 recorded, only 13 occurred before noon, and no less than 58 fell between 

 noon and 9 p.m. Why so few should have fallen at night and before noon, in 

 the morning, it is not easy to say, supposing it not to be the result of chance. 

 If true that more aerolitic falls occur during daytime than during the night, 

 it would seem that there is a greater tendency to encounter those bodies in 

 their orbits, as they recede from the sun ; that side of the earth most directly 

 opposite to the sun being naturally most likely to come into actual contact 

 with them. The above observations are taken for average of latitude, say 

 48° north, and 10° west longitude. 



Dr. D. P. Thomson, in his • Introduction to Meteorology,' p. 302, states 

 that meteors are of comparative rare occurrence in the Arctic Regions: this, 

 if true, is curious and important, and deserves corroboration from some of 

 the great arctic navigators now living in this country, and to whom applica- 

 tion for any additional information might readily be made; the long winter 

 nights in those parts being admirably adapted for observations (especially 

 horary) of shooting-stars. 



The time of maximum meteor visibility being stated by M. Coulvier- 

 Gravier and M. Bompas to be about 6 a.m., it is rather singular that the 

 times of maximum occurrence for aerolites and detonating meteors should 

 be about the same hour p.m. 



5. Of the Chinese observations given by Biot, 900 were made in a period 

 of only 79 years, viz. from a.d. 1023 — 1102; they include meteors of every 

 apparent size from Jupiter to the Moon ; likewise a certain number of aero- 

 lites, detonating meteors, meteoric showers, and doubtless some few auroral 

 displays. The larger proportion were observed in that portion of the sky 

 included between the S.W. and S.E. 



M. Abel Remusat, in 1819, has published other particulars, viz. of 100 

 falls of stones and detonating meteors, which have been recorded likewise in 

 Chinese annals, between the sixth century B.C. to 1223 a.d. In Biot's list 

 the 23rd of October presented the maximum number of observations. 



6. Further observations are to be desired respecting the zodiacal light, and 

 every possible connexion between that phenomenon and that of shooting-stars 

 cr meteors. Likewise further information concerning the heights at which 

 meteors begin to be visible, and cease being visible. The question concern- 

 ing the cause of luminosity in meteors is a highly interesting one, and still 

 an open one. The phenomena displayed by the luminous trains or tails of 

 shooting-stars and meteors is also a subject requiring much attention. The 



