On the Meteors of 13th JYovemher. 391 



At Macon, Geo. — One of considerable size was observed to fall 

 it was believed as near to the earth as one hundred feel, when it en- 

 tered a column of smoke from a chimney, and immediately explb- 

 ded into several parts. (Georgia Messenger.) 



At Niagara Falls. — In many instances, the meteors appeared 

 like large balls of fire, and some were as large as an eighteen 

 pound cannon ball. (Mr. H. A. Parsons.) 



At Union Town, Penn. — Not more than two of the meteors ob- 

 served by me left behind them vapory matter : one of these pro- 

 ceeded towards the north, the other towards the northwest. The 

 vapor did not differ in appearance from the light fleecy clouds fre- 

 quently visible in the heavens, and it gradually melted away being 

 borne along in the meanwhile towards the east, in which direction 

 there was a gentle movement of the air. (J. B. M. Union Town 

 Democrat.) See descriptions. 



(5.) Of the third variety, the following are remarkable examples. 

 ■ At Poland, Trumbull County, Ohio. — A luminous body was dis- 

 tinctly visible in the north east, for more than an hour. The Hon. 

 Calvin Pease informs me that he discovered it at 4 o'clock, near the 

 star Alioth, in Ursa Major ; that it was then very brilliant in the form 

 of a pruning hook, and apparently twenty feet long and eighteen in- 

 ches broad, and that it gradually settled towards the horizon, until it 

 disappeared. I first saw it at 5 o'clock, when it resembled anew 

 moon, two or three hours high, shining through a cloud, about fifteen 

 minutes afterwards, no vestige of it could be seen. (Dr. Jared P. 

 Kirtland's letter to Prof. Silliman.) 



At Niagara Falls. — They were seen as early as two o'clock, and 

 soon after, a large luminous body, like a square table, was seen nearly 

 in the zenith, remaining for a time nearly stationary; and from this 

 were emitted large streams of light. (Mr. Horatio A. Parsons's letter 

 to Prof. Silliman.) 



Off Charleston, S. C. — We learn also that a meteor of extraor- 

 dinary size, was observed at sea to course the heavens for a great 

 length of time, and then explode with the noise of a cannon. (Charles- 

 ton Courier.) 



Remarks. — The following points appear' deserving of particular 

 notice. 



That according to Mr. Palmer, (See p. 3S5.) the balls which 

 in their descent, terminated at nearly the same altitude, had trains 

 of nearly the same length ; that the number increased, but the trains 

 became shorter at higher altitudes ; and that the light was reddish at 

 the lower altitudes, and pale or white at the higher. 



That the trains presented to different spectators, at first, the 

 figure of two very acute cones placed base to base ; but their figure 

 afterwards became tortuous, and they finally resolved themselves into 

 small clouds or nebulae, which took the direction of the wind. 



