Meteoric Observations. 323 



If the ore to be examined be not an ore of lead, some of the 

 ore is to be melted in a clean crucible which has never been 

 used, and lead free of silver and gold added, and stirred and. 

 mixed with the fused ore. The fusion of the ore should be so 

 perfect as to permit the lead to settle to the bottom of the melted 

 ore. The lead, in consequence of its affinity for the precious 

 metals, unites with them if present, and forms an alloy. The 

 lead, cupelled as above, will show the silver or gold, or an alloy 

 of them, if either, or both of them were present. 



If the globule obtained by the cupelling operation be suspected 

 to be an alloy of silver and gold, it is examined in the usual way, 

 and the metals separated qualitatively, or quantitatively, as cir- 

 cumstances may require. 



Albany, Oct. 2d, 1838. 



Art. X. — Meteoric Observations vnade at Cambridge^ Mass. ; 

 by Prof. J. LovERiNG. 



The science of meteorology, although it has received of late a 

 large share of public attention, still remains in an unsettled and 

 crude state. The rigorous demonstrations of mathematics, which 

 have been called in to elucidate and develope the other sciences, 

 have failed in any important degree to reach and establish this. 

 A disposition to speculate, a disinclination to keep up steady ob- 

 servations, has been felt as a constant impediment to the growth 

 of this department of science. It is not till very recently, that 

 any regular and systematic plan of observations has been adopted : 

 and yet we might have supposed that the mighty impulse given 

 to astronomy by the establishment of fixed observatories, would 

 have suggested similar means for the advancement of other sci- 

 ences equally dependent upon constant observations. Instead of 

 complaining, however, that we did not have them sooner, per- 

 haps we ought rather to rejoice that such means are now in ope- 

 ration, and that a mass of observations is continually sent forth 

 from these established retreats, which must soon give a more fin- 

 ished character to the complicated and difficult science of me- 

 teorology. 



A good proportion of this attention has been received by that 

 class of transient and luminous appearances, either in or verv near 



