170 



Miscellanies. 



radiate from Cassiopeia, but it was not very easy to determine satisfacto- 

 rily, the radiant point. The sky, within 25° of the horizon, was obscured 

 by a thick haze, which prevented our seeing any meteojs below that 

 altitude." At a later hour, the clouds and the moon rendered it unadvi- 

 sable to resume the watch. No observations on the night of 9th or 11th. 



7. At Society Hill, S. C. Mr. William A. Sparks watched, at inter- 

 vals, on the night of the 9th and morning of the 10th. On the 9th, at 

 evening, the sky was clear, and the number of meteors appeared some- 

 what unusual. " About 3h. A. M." (10th) writes Mr. S. " I was awaked 

 by my servant, who informed me that ' he had seen five stars fall since 

 he first got up.' I rose immediately and went out, and although the 

 moon was shining with brilliancy, in mid-heaven, I saw at intervals of 

 from two to five minutes, quite a number shooting in all directions. At 

 3h. 35m. one remarkably bright, which I noticed more particularly, took 

 its origin in the vicinity of the belt of Orion, shot about 30° toward the 

 N. nearly parallel to the horizon, and almost eclipsed the splendor of 

 Venus, which was just then emerging from the East. At 3h. 45m. the 

 sky became entirely overcast with cumulo-stratus clouds, which prevent- 

 ed further observation. On this occasion, I counted tvjenty four mete- 

 ors." Mr. S. states, that on the nights of the 8th and 10th the displays 

 were much inferior to that of the night of the 9th, 



8. At Wilmingion Island, near Savannah, Ga. Mr. Thomas R. Dut- 

 ton made observations, which are far more extensive and satisfactory than 

 any which have hitherto reached me. The following table contains a 

 synopsis of the results. 



The following extracts are taken from the remarks which Mr. Button 

 subjoins. " You will, I think, agree with me, that the present year pre- 

 sents, at this place, a recurrence of the meteoric shower of August last. 

 In regard to number, two circumstances are to be considered : 1st, that 

 there was but one observer ; and 3d, that the moon was more than half 



