A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 301 



1°. Meteoric irons consist of a small number, only, of different minerals 

 combined together in variable proportions. 



2°. These minerals, which may be called j^foximate inriredients of meteor io 

 irons, possess physical and chemical characters which enable them to be 

 separated from each other in a state of pnrity. 



3°. The majority possess a definite composition, capable of being expressed 

 in simple chemical formulfc. 



4°. They are not mixed together at random in the masses which they 

 compose, but their positions relatively to each other obey certain fixed laws. 



5°. Lastly, proximate chemical analysis of meteoric irons affords the only 

 effectual means of obtaining a satisfactory classification of these bodies. 



9. Observations on the recent N'ovember meteoric showers. 



" Shooting-stars on the morning of November 14th, 1867," by H. A. 

 Newton (American Journal of Science for January 1868, vol. xlv. p. 78), 

 contains a discussion of the principal observations of frequency of the 

 meteors, and a curve showing the time of maximum of the star-shower, as 

 observed in the United States, together with some remarks on its geogra- 

 I^hical extent of visibility, on the probable width of the stream, and its 

 possible connexion with the comet observed in China on the 25th of October, 

 A.D. 1366. 



" On the ' Shooting-stars ' [of jSTovember 1867] as observed at Shanghai," 

 by B. V. Marsh (Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. x. 

 p. 384). — The following notes of a meteor-shower which occurred in China 

 on the 15th of November, 1867, were received by Mr. Marsh from Mr. B. R. 

 Lewis, TJ. S. Deputy Consul-General at Shanghai. 



Log of U. S. steamer ' Ashuelot,' Capt. Febiger, at Shanghai : — " Nov. 

 15th, 1867, 4'' to S^ a.m. Large number of shooting-stars to the N. and E. 

 falling to the N. ; visible until broad daylight. Clear and cold ; light N.W. 

 winds." 



Log of JJ. S. steamer ' Monocacy,' Capt. Carter, at Shanghai : — " November 

 15th, 1867, from midnight to 4'' a.m. At 2'' a.m. observed a number of 

 meteors falling from the westward towards the east. This shower of meteors 

 continued till 4^ a.m., decreasing in number from 3'', seven or eight being the 

 largest number visible at one time. 



" From 4" to 8" a.m. Between 4'' and 5'' observed several meteors falling 

 to the eastward." 



Extract from the 'Shanghai News Letter' of January 16th, 1868[*].— 

 " From Mr. 0. B. Bradford of the TJ. S. Consular Service we obtain the fol- 

 lowing glowing account of the meteoric shower of 1867, as witnessed by him 

 not far from the great wall of China. It was on the morning of the 15th of 

 November, while on his way back from the Nankow Pass, and when about 

 fifty miles N.N.W. of Pekin, that Mr. Bradford observed these grand pheno- 

 mena of the heavens. The grand spectacle was displayed in an arc of not 

 less than 120° in the north-east part of the sky, which at times seemed to 

 be rent in twain, from about 25° of the zenith, by solid masses of luminous 

 bodies, of various magnitudes and surprising brilliancy, darting across his 

 vision. Several hundreds [! !] of these meteors would be visible at the same 

 time, all emitting the most intense light, and the nebulae of the largest lasting 

 sometimes three minutes. One of the largest shone with brightness above 

 that of the moon as it issued from about 15° of the north star and passed to 

 the horizon, giving off as it fell coruscations of various bright colours, and, 



[* The paragraph is considerably curtailed from the figurative language and descrip- 

 tions of the original article.] 



