396 KEPORT — 1867. 



contains a description of phenomena at the radiant-point. " Stationary ob- 

 jects continually appeared at a point situated in the centre of the quadrilateral 

 y, i^, 11, e Leonis, at E. A. 148°, IS". Decl. 25° ; and these appeared as blue ne- 

 bulous patches 3' or 4' in diameter. Meteor-streaks within a circle of 4° radius 

 round this point appeared more compact and brighter than those observed 

 elsewhere." 



A printed account of the meteoric shower by Mr. D. Smith describes the 

 radiant-point, or point from which the meteors emanated, as most clearly and 

 beautifully kept. " This point wa.s, in the present instance, about the centre 

 of the ' sickle ' in the constellation Leo." 



At Beeston Observaton/, Nottingham. — Mr. Lowe reports that "At 2'' l", 

 and again at 2** 9™, and at 4'" 31™ a.m., meteors appeared on the exact radiant- 

 point in Leo, blazed out, and died away without mo\'ing. I traced sixty 

 meteors to ascertain the exact point, and I made it nearer e than jj Leonis, 

 If a line were drawn from a to fi, and another from y to e Leonis, where 

 those two lines cut each other I conceived the point was close to." 



At Wishech, Cambridgeshire. — Mr. S. H. Miller briefly describes the radiant- 

 point thus : — " The point of radiation was manifest from the first. I should 

 fix the radiant-point between y and i^ of Leo." 



At Mancliestir. — Mr. Greg considered that the radiant-point, " though not a 

 mathematical centre-point, was very closely round the star 4 Leonis, extend- 

 ing from y Leonis towards e Leonis Muioris." 



At Sunderland. — The position of the radiant-point was determined Avith 

 care by Mr. Backhouse, who states that " the meteors belonged to two classes. 

 Class i. These radiated from Leo. I carefully traced back the courses of 

 fifty-four of them, and found the radiant-point to be R. A. 9*^ 57" (148° 15'), 

 N. Dccl. 23° 50'. But tracing it only from those in and near Leo, between 

 12" 30'" and 2" 8"' .v.m., it seemed to be R. A. Vi^ 56|"' (149° 15'), N. Decl. 

 23° 15' ; and from those in and near Leo between 2'' 8'" a.m. and 3'' 35" a.m.; 

 R. A. 9" 58i'» (149° 37'), N. Decl. 22° 45'." 



Mr. J. Crompton reports from "NVisbech, Cambridgeshire : — " It seemed as 

 if we could mark out in the sky the path that they would take, or almost hang 

 wires for them to run upon, so regularly did they pass over, in lines converg- 

 ing backwards over a space in or about Leo. I think that we noticed only 

 three which took any other or opposite direction." 



The point of radiatior. during the principal part of the display on the morning 

 of the 14th of November 1866, was observed in France, at Metz, by M. C. 

 M. Goulier, who frequently projected it from comparison with the sky upon 

 the planisphere of Chazallon. Corrected for precession since the date of the 

 map (1850-0), the coordinates of the position of the radiant-point were 



E. A. 1495 (9I' 58""), N. Decl. 23°. M. Goulier adds that '• the uncertainty 

 attaching to this position of the radiant-point is certainly less than one degree." 

 (Comptes Rendus, December 1866.) 



BricfMtiess of the Meteors. 



Mr. F. C. Penrose, at Wimbledon, Surrey, reports on the moniing of the 

 14th, that " at l** 20"> a.m., or thereabouts, a very bright meteor passed to- 

 wards the south-west and produced a very sensible reflected light. Neither 



F. or H. saw the meteor, but only the reflected light. On looking up, the 

 train was distinctly seen, and remained visible for at least two minutes by 

 estimation. 



" H. recorded one meteor, only, which was clearly brighter than Sirius; 

 and F. questions ha^dng seen any brighter than Sirius. That above men- 



