183 On the Shooting Stars of Aug. 9th and 10th, 1837. 



Canton of Vallais, (Switzerland,) two observers, in circumstances 

 much less favorable, saw 160 per hour. 



The evidence at present before the public is scarcely sufficient 

 to decide whether in general the August meteoric shower occurs 

 on the night of the 9th or of the 10th of that month ; — the date 

 being reckoned according to the time of Western Europe or of the 

 United States. During the present period, the night of the 9th 

 will probably be found to be nearest the maximum. On leap-year, 

 for obvious reasons, the meteoric showers may be expected to 

 happen at a date somewhat earlier than on the common years 

 succeeding. 



The paper on ancient meteoric showers, promised on p. 358, of 

 the last volume, will be completed as soon as practicable. -It now 

 comprises fifteen instances, viz. Ante C. 25, 29, A. D. 53 1, 744 

 or 747, 764, 901, 902, 935, 1094, 1095, 1096, 1099, 1122, 1202, 

 1243. To determine the precise dates of all these, according to 

 the Gregorian or any other Calendar, requires much time. It ap- 

 pears certain, that some centuries since, the April and the August 

 meteoric showers occurred at a date several days earlier, and the 

 November shower several days later, than they do during the pres- 

 ent period. 



Since the preceding was written, I have received from Mr. R. 

 W. Haskins, of Buifalo, (to whom the public are much indebted 

 for his frequent communications through the Daily Commercial 

 Advertiser of that city, of the earliest French intelligence regard- 

 ing meteors, ) his translation of M. Arago's Report to the Academy 

 of Sciences, Oct. 16, 1837, on the meteors of November and of 

 August. The details of the latter there given, in a letter from 

 M. Wartmann, of Geneva, do not materially disagree with the 

 facts above stated. 



I have space only for the following particulars. On the night 

 of Aug. 9, 1837, two persons on an excursion to Chamonix, saw 

 from 9h. 30m. to lOi^., more than forty meteors of great brilliancy. 

 At Geneva, on the same night, from 9^. to 12/i., eighty two me- 

 teors were seen. At 10/i. they fell rapidly, and seemed to radiate 

 from a point between 6 Bootis and « Draconis. Twenty miles 

 from Geneva, the meteors were seen in much greater numbers. 



New Haven, Conn., 3Iarch 16, 1838. 



