On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 327 
man who was at the time pursuing his studies as a member of the Wes- 
Jeyan University at Middletown. Mr. Merrick in company with many 
others, one of whom was Lieut. W. W. Mather, of the National Mil. 
Acad. observed this point with precision, froma quarter before 5, A. 
M. to a quarter before 6, and assigned its position by the stars, in a spot 
hereafter to be mentioned; he observed indeed a small motion from S. 
to N. by E. but none from W. to E. Neglecting anonymous testimo- 
nies, from different places, which might be referred to, if the authors 
and the evidence were known, we shall finally mention a circumstance 
related by Mr. Wm. Lester, a surveyor of established reputation in 
Connecticut, who watched the meteoric shower for a considerable 
time before sunrise, from a spot near Norwich, Con. A little after 
suorise, Mr. Lester moved into the shadow of a house which was es- 
tablished by the cardinal points, and directed his eye to the zenith, 
by the S. W. corner asa guide. Standing thus, he saw over head, in 
or near the zenith, several meteors which had a course to N. E. and 
E ; and the point from which they proceeded was, to appearance, 
about 8° west of the meridian. Mr. L. was now certain of what 
he had before judged to be the fact, that the radiant lay W. of South. 
This concurrence of testimony from the most credible observ- 
ers leaves no room to question the fact of a fixed position of the ra- 
diant among the stars, during the two hours and a half* to which 
the testimony applies; but it is a disappointment that we have not 
been able, after unwearied efforts, to meet with one individual in 
this section of the country who can give a consistent and cer- 
tain account of the location of that point at an hour earlier than a 
quarter before five, A. M. It must be the fact that there are per- 
sons in the United States who can, even now, furnish valuable 
information upon this subject, if they should happen to become 
apprised of the high importance of the question; but, as the evi- 
dence now stands, we are reduced to the discussion of mere prob- 
abilities. 
If the location of the point of radiation remained fixed in Leo, 
during the whole meteoric display it would follow that at two o’clock 
its altitude could be but little more than 30°. In so low a position of 
the radiant the meteors would have been seen, for the most part, in 
ascending directions ; yet only two statements, it is believed, one at 
* That is from a quarter before five at Middletown, Conn., to nearly a quarter 
before six at Worthington, Ohio. 
