168 Miscellanies. 



26. The moon rose at 9h. 42ra. and, consequently, had thus far inter- 

 fered very little. Between lOh. and llh. Mr. B. counted in the same 

 region, 20 meteors, which, considering the presence of the moon, is evi- 

 dently an increase on the hour previous. Soon after llh., as we were 

 arranging for the night, clouds rapidly overspread the heavens, and frus- 

 trated all further observations. The entire night of the 11th was over- 

 cast and stormy. The evening of the 12th was beautifully clear, and 

 even at this late date, it was evident, from a quarter of an hour's observa- 

 tion, that shooting stars were much more numerous than common. I re- 

 gret that I could not conveniently watch throughout that night. Mr. E. 

 Fitch informed me that in one hour, somewhere between 9h. and llh. of 

 that evening, he counted about 25 of these meteors. 



II. Observations made at other places. 



1. At Middletoicn, Ct. watch was kept by Prof A. W. Smith, and 

 3Iessrs. Knox and Rice, of the Wesleyan University. During the whole 

 night of the 9th, clouds covered the sky. On the night of the 10th, the 

 sky was still cloudy, and afforded no opportunity for regular observation, 

 but the observers were convinced that the meteors were more numerous 

 than usual. No observations were attempted on the night of the 11th or 

 12th. 



2. From Geneva, N. Y. Mr. Azariah Smith, Jr. writes, that on the 

 evening of the 9th, about 9 P. M. the sky was partially clear in the North, 

 and that on going abroad to observe, he "saw half a dozen meteors shoot 

 across the open space in about the same number of minutes ; after which, 

 through the night, clouds covered the heavens. Of these meteors, all but 

 one passed from the East to the West, and that one came from the zenith. 

 Two were peculiarly bright and left long trains in their rear." No ob- 

 servations on the nights of 10th or 11th. 



3. At Biiffalo, N. Y. observations were made by Mr. R. W. HasTcins 

 and Dr. C H. Raymond. On the morning of the 8th, from Ih. to 3h. 

 30m. they saw fifteen meteors, which is, of course, nothing unusual. 

 " The morning of the 9th was densely clouded, with rain falling copious- 

 ly." On the morning of the 10th, observations were commenced at Ih. 

 A. M. " The state of the heavens was unfavorable. The moon, ap- 

 proaching the meridian, was so luminous as to obscure every star in her 

 vicinity, save those of the first magnitude ; the whole South, from this 

 body to the horizon, covered with clouds, which were rapidly extending 

 themselves over the other portions of the sky. At 2h. 30m. there was no 

 clear sky to be seen. During this hour and a half, and under many dis- 

 advantages, forty meteors were counted" by the two observers. Mr, 

 Haskins continues, " The appearances this morning, when taken in con- 

 nection with all the adverse circumstances under which they were view- 

 ed, I am inclined to think were somewhat peculiar. Had there been 



