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OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 343 
fifteen Lyraids, prolonged backwards, all pass through the small triangular 
area contained between the stars a, B, y Lyre. 
Occasional notices of the unusual frequency of meteors on certain nights of 
the past year have been received, of which particular accounts were furnished 
in the following communications :— 
September Ist, 1873 (Ackworth, Yorkshire).—‘ There was quite an abun- 
dance of meteors on the night of September Ist. Between 11 and 12" p.m. 
I heard from my brother (F. J. Clark) that nine meteors were seen, some 
very fine ones, mostly in the south.”—J. HE, Clark. 
October 17th and November 23rd, 1873 (Crowborough, Sussex).—“ Octo- 
ber: during the evening of the 17th a number of small meteors were observed. 
November: one large meteor and many small ones were observed on the 
evening of the 23rd.”—Summary of a meteorological journal for 1873 kept 
at Crowborough Beacon Observatory, by C. L. Prince, F.R.A.S. &e. 
1874, March 18th and 19th (Sunderland).—* There were a good many 
shooting-stars on the nights of the #8th and the 19th (particulars enclosed). 
The paths traced backwards of six or seven of these agree with a very exact 
radiant-point at R.A. 157°, N. Decl. 13°; those of four or five others, as 
far as observed, with the radiant-point M,.”—T. W. Backhouse. 
From the abstracts of logs kept on board of vessels supplied with meteoro- 
logical instruments from the Meteorological Office of the Board of Trade 
during recent years, Captain H. Toynbee has obligingly furnished the Com- 
mittee with the following entries of observations of shooting-stars near the 
Cape-Verd Islands in the month of February, remarking that in the 10-degree 
square of the Atlantic that includes those islands upwards of six such entries 
are found in the year 1860, and none in any other year. As far as these 
Reports extend, no unusual prevalence of shooting-stars or bright meteors in 
February was recorded in them in the year 1860; but the occurrence of 
meteor-showers on the Ist, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 14th, and 18th—21st of February, 
and of unusually bright meteors on the first two of these dates as well as on 
the 9th-11th and during the last six or seven days of February, is more or 
less well determined from existing records, to which the present important 
communication from Captain Toynbee affords a very valuable extension and 
corroboration. 
Notes of Observations of Shooting-stars in February, observed in the North 
Atlantic. Communicated by Captain H. Toynbee. 
Square 3. February. (Long. W. 20°-30°, lat. N. 0°-10°, 8. of the Cape-Verd Islands.) 
(The following are all that were remarked on in February.) 
Sub-square.| Hour. Day. Year. Remarks on Falling Stars. 
15 8 P.M. 9th 1855 | A few shooting-stars from §.S.W. to E.S.E. 
1 4 A.M, 2nd 1860 | Stars shooting from N.E. to 8. 
84 8r.m. | 18th aes Stars shooting to N.E. 
81 5 AM. 23rd “ Three stars from §.E. to N.E.: one burst, and 
left behind a tail of fire. 
22 8 P.M. ord 1867 | Stars shooting from §8.E. 
85 4am. | 26th 1870 | Several stars shooting from 8.H. to N.W. 
86 10pm. | 24th 1871 | A very brilliant meteor passed from the zenith 
towards the N.N.E., and a quantity of small 
ones passed the zenith towards the N.E., W., 
and §.E. during the night. None visible 
to the westward. 
