152 On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 
In the former part of this article, (p. 409.) the following query 
was raised: Could bodies constituted like known aérolites, falling from 
any supposed height into the atmosphere, generate heat sufficient, by 
the abrasion or condensation of the air, to dissipate themin a cloud 
of smoke before they reached the earth? It was deemed the most phi- 
losophical, first to inquire whether these bodies could be supposed to 
have the constitution of known aérolites, that is, of a class of sub- 
stances which are known to fall from certain meteors, before assign- 
ing to thema different constitution. Several considerations, how- 
ever, induce me-to think that the bodies in question could not have 
been so constituted. In the first place, bodies as large as some of 
these were, composed like meteoric stones, of iron, silex, magnesia, 
&c. cannot be supposed to have undergone such complete destruc- 
tion in a very few seconds of time. The Weston meteor of 1807, 
according to Dr. Bowditch, traversed the atmosphere, for more than 
one hundred miles, at the height of eighteen miles above the surface 
of the earth, nearly parallel with it, for the space of thirty seconds, 
but is not supposed to have been consumed or destroyed, but only 
to have thrown off a few superficial fragments, which fell to the 
earth.* | 
In the second place, had these bodies been thus constituted, 
falling as they did directly towards the earth, they would in many 
instances, at least, have reached the earth; and considering their 
immense numbers, we should have had multiplied and appalling 
proofs of the fact, in the destruction and ruin that would have mark- 
ed the places where they fell. Yet no evidence has yet appeared of 
a single meteoric stone having been found; and it is even somewhat 
doubtful whether any palpable substance réached the ground, which 
could fairly be considered as a deposit from the meteors. 
In the third place, these bodies were, according to the testimony of 
most observers, unaccompanied by any sound; and ,where such a 
sound was supposed to be heard, it was only a very faint one; but 
falling aérolites are attended by a sound like thunder, or the dis- 
charge of heavy artillery. 
In the fourth place, if these bodies had proceeded from one large 
body in space, like the fragments which fell from the Weston meteor, 
* See the remarks of Dr. Bowditch, on the Weston Meteor, Tr. Amer. Acad. 
111, 213, also, President Day and Professor Silliman, on the same subject, Mem. 
Conn. Acad. 1. 142-174, 
