292 



REPORT — 1869. 



morning of the 14th of November, until Ih. 57m. a.m. ; it was clear from this 

 time until 2h. 50m. a.m., and during this interval forty-six fine meteors were 

 observed, and their apparent paths described. The number of meteors at 

 this time Avas very great, both large and smaU, and quite bewildering ; 

 several large meteors were present at the same time, and all could not be 

 observed. The sky then became overcast until 3h. 53m. a.m. It was clear 

 but hazy from 4h. to 4h. 23m., when clouds began to collect increasingly 

 until 4h. 48m. a.m., after which time the sky was overcast throughout the 

 night. Sixty-nine fine meteors were observed, some of which were exceed- 

 ingly brilliant, leaving streaks varying in duration to more than one minute. 

 When the sky was cloudy, lightning-like flashes were frequently observed 

 until after six o'clock, evidently connected with large meteors, lighting up 

 the whole sky as several of the meteors were observed to do Avhen the 

 sky was clear. A meteor which burst, and left a streak for eight seconds 

 midway between y Leonis and Mars, was without motion. The majority of 

 bright meteors observed Avere conformable to tlie radiant in Leo, other 

 radiant-points which were discernible being generally connected with the 

 smaller meteors. 



The 'Times,' Dec. 7th, 1S68, contained a letter from Dr. J. M. Hamilton, 

 describing the meteoric shower as it appeared in Shetland. The meteors 

 were abundant from 3h. 30m. a.m. until sunrise, sometimes appearing two 

 or three at once, many of them brighter than Venus, and a few so bright 

 that one could have read ordinary print, for an instant, by their light. The 

 streaks were bright white, or in some cases of a bluish or reddish tinge ; 

 those left by some of the brightest meteors remained visible for one to three 

 miniites, and were even visible towards daybreak. The sky was generally 

 clear, and when it was partly overcast the meteors shone between the in- 

 terstices of the clouds. The point in Leo from which the meteors appeared 

 to emanate remained stationary among the fixed stars from 3h. 30m. a.m. 

 until nearly the time when the sun rose. 



A letter from Mr. G. T. Kingstown, Director of the Toronto Magnetic Obser- 

 vatory, in the ' Times ' of December 8th, states that the sky was clear, except 

 between oh. and 6h. a.m., on the morning of the 14th of November, and that 

 3000 meteors were counted before that hour, 99 per cent, of the meteors radia- 

 ting from the constellation Leo. Some, which exceeded Sirius in brightness, 

 exhibited a variety of colours. The luminous streaks often continued visible 

 from two to four minutes. The following Table shows the number of meteors 

 seen at different parts of the night, together with the state of the sky :- — 



