Meteoric Shower of April 20, 1803. 361 



seemed to fall nearest were apparently as large as a barrel [!] and 

 had tails from 12 to 20 feet in length. He judges there was no 

 intermission (as to numbers and motion) for two hours, during 

 which time the whole hemisphere was illuminated." — The Bal- 

 ance, (Hudson, N. Y.) vol. 2, p. 205, June 28, 1803. 



4. Observations at Wilmington, Del. N. lat. 39° 41' ; W. 

 Ion. 75° 28:.—" On the 16th and 17th [April, 1803] we had a~ 

 brisk storm with torrents of rain and hghtning ; and early in the 

 morning of the 20th, electrical meteors were surprisingly numer- 

 ous and vivid. Newspaper accounts since inform us that the 

 same phenomena were observed over a great part of the country." 

 —Dr. John Yaughan, in N. Y. Med. Repos. 2d hex. vol. 2, (1805) 

 p. 140. 



These are all the accounts of the display which I have been 

 able to procure. They give no information concerning the point 

 of radiation, or the hour of the greatest abundance. The radiant 

 point was doubtless north of the ecliptic ; and it is perhaps not 

 unreasonable to conjecture that it was (as seen in this latitude) 

 near the region of the heavens where it appeared to be on the 

 morning of the 19th of April, 1839.* 



This meteoric shower appears to be the legitimate successor 

 of those which occurred April 4th,t (morning of 5th,) A.D. 1095, 

 and April 5th, (morning) A. D. 1122, (both of the Julian style, 

 corresponding nearly to the 11th of the Gregorian.) I have not 

 succeeded in finding any meteoric shower in April, between 1122 

 and 1803, and can not determine whether there has been a regu- 

 lar progression in the time of the recurrence of the phenomenon. 

 No evidence has come to my knowledge, that any such display 

 was seen in April, 1830. 



11. Observations on shooting stars, on and about April 20, 1839. 



1. Neio Haven. — On the morning of Friday the 19th, Mr. 

 Francis Bradley and myself watched from midnight until 3 



* The idea advanced by M Valz, (Com. Ren. Acad. Sci. 1838, 2d sem. p. 977,) 

 that during meteoric displays of the same name, in any two successive years, the 

 meteors appear to move in contrary directions, is irreconcilable with various obser- 

 vations which have been made in this country ; and it is quite improbable, viewed 

 theoretically. A short time will determine the question. 



t Erroneously stated April 25, 1095, in Com. Ren. 1336, 2d sem. p. 145, from 

 which work this date has been often quoted. 



Vol. XXXVI, No. 2.— April- July, 1839. 46 



