A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OP LUMINOUS METEORS. 127 



II. Laege Meteoes. 

 (1.) 1768, December 23rd, 7^ a.m. (local time). 



A very clear description* of the phenomeuon attending the faU of a meteorite 

 appears in the account of Cook's Voyage round the World, published under 

 the title of " A Voyage round the World in His Majesty's Ship Endeavour, 

 in the years 1768-71 (London, 1771)." Professor Miller, of Cambridge, who 

 communicates the extract, accompanies it with the remark that "the passage 

 must have escaped the notice of Mr. Greg, and of aU other meteor historio- 

 graphers." 



Page 25. for Date and Place.—" Thiu-sday, Dec. S, 1768, having pro- 

 cured aU necessary supplies, we left Eio Janeiro, etc." 



Page 26, " December 23rd we observed an eclipse of the moon ; and about 

 7 o'clock in the morning a small white cloud appeared in the west, from 

 which a train of fii-e issued, extending itself westerly : about two minutes 

 after we heard two distinct loud exi)losions, immediately succeeding each 

 other like cannon, after which the cloud soon disajjpeared." 



(2.) 1861, March 4th, 9'^ 38'" 30^ a.m., Melbourne mean time. (Results of 

 Meteorol. Observations in Victoria, S. Australia, 1858-62, by Dr. G. 

 Neumayer ; p. 141.) 



A large meteor in bright daytime, seen in nearly the whole S.E. part of 

 Australia. The meteor was seen at sea, on board of the ' Constance,' thirty 

 miles S.W. of the Otway. 



From the measurements of Captain Sdrderbergh, and from various obser- 

 vations made thi-oughout the country, Dr. Neumayer adduces the following 

 facts relative to the occurrence : — 



miles. 

 Height of the meteor above the earth when first seen . . 64-6 

 Height of the meteor above the earth when bursting . . 10-0 



Distance from Colar when first seen 77-2 



Distance from Colar when bursting 73'0 



Diameter 0-18 mile, or 1190 feet. 

 No mention is made by Dr. Neumayer of any detonation having been heard. 



• (3.) 1865, December 7th, 7'^ 20™ p.m., G. M. T. 

 (Paris Observatory Bulletins, Jan. 5th and 6th, 1866.) 



A fireball exploded at a height of thirty-eight miles over the mouth of the 

 Loire with a report likened to that of a cannon fired ofl" at a distance of a few 

 miles (at Vaunes), and to a slight shock of an earthquake at La Roche-Bernard. 

 The meteor was visible over an extent of the coast from Brest to Bordeaux, 

 whence M. Gruey obtains from observations the following approximate 

 elements of its path. The meteor jiroceeded, from a point about fifty-five 

 miles above the sert at Quimpcr, descending at an inclination of about 15° 

 from horizontal towards the E.S.E., a distance of eighty miles in 15 or 20 

 seconds, to the point of its explosion, thirty-five miles above the mouth of 

 the Loire. Velocity not less than ten miles per second. 



The diameter is reckoned by M. Gruey at ISO yards, but it is added that 

 the eff'ect of irradiation would Idc to considerably diminish this amount. 



No meteorites were discovered, although the explosion was considerable, 

 and the size and the luminosity of the fireball were quite unusual. 



* The punctuation is strictly given as in the original. The passage is also found 

 Barrow's small editioa of Cook's Voyages. A. and C. Black, Edinb., 1860, p. 19. 



in 



