356 Shooting Stars of December 6 and 7, 1838. 



telescopic observations, and what light airs there were, being from 

 W". N. W., we were surprised by the frequency of those meteoric 

 exhibitions called falling stars. From 6 to 7 o'clock, five min- 

 utes rarely elapsed without one, and frequently several descended 

 in quick succession, so that by estimation, I should think about 

 thirty were seen in that time. But from 7 to 8, it was very sel- 

 dom that a single minute passed without a meteor, and for a con- 

 siderable time it literally rained [?] without any intermission. 

 After 8 o'clock they became less numerous again, but still equal 

 to what had been observed at first, till half past 9. Nor had they 

 ceased between 10 and 11 ; and when returning home after mid- 

 night, though the moon was shining brightly, I counted several. 

 They were not of one kind alone, but of all the species usually 

 enumerated ; nor did they fall from one part of the heavens only, 

 but were widely diffused, and took various directions, chiefly to- 

 wards the S. and E., but not always. The mass of them were 

 not brilliant nor rapid, though occasionally there were some 

 splendid specimens of both, and then commonly with a train. 

 Very many of them came apparently from the zenith, faint and 

 blue, and nearly perpendicular. I cannot estimate the number at 

 less than 300 ; and though it is a mere guess, for I soon found it 

 useless to try and count them, I am inclined to think that below 

 the truth. Tetney, (N. lat. 53° 38' ; W. Ion. 50^') near Grimsby, 

 Lincohishire, Dec. 8, 1838." 



This account is much less definite than could be desired. The 

 observations appear to have been made chiefly by owe person, 

 watching only a part of the time. 



3. In a letter dated Savannah, Ga., May 4, 1839, Mr. Thomas 

 R. Dutton communicates the following : " After I wrote you in 

 regard to the December shower of 1 838, I obtained some inform- 

 ation with regard to it from Captain Dyer of the ship Eli Whit- 

 ney. He was then on his passage from Boston to this place, and 

 off Cape Lookout, (about N. lat. 34° ; W. Ion. 77°). He made 

 no memoranda at the time, and is not therefore certain of the 

 date, but thinks it was on the night of the eighth ] [more proba- 

 bly the seve7ith.^ He says, '■ The meteors started, with few ex- 

 ceptions, from the meridian or near the zenith, and moved to the 

 W. and sometimes S. W. I noticed a few, however, moving to 

 the E. A great many I observed to commence their movement 

 a little to the W. of Capella, and others to the W. of Aldebaran, 



