Miscellanies. 203 



Mr. Herrick and two of his friends were on the look-out on the evening 

 of the 13th, from 6h. to 6h. 30m., in which time they saw ten shooting 

 stars ; but on the morning of the 14th, from 3h. 15m. to 4h. 15m., he saw 

 (watching alone) only Jive. These, however, emanated from the usual 

 point in the constellation Leo, and moved with extreme velocity. 



Dr. Parker, then on his return from Canton, on board of ship in the At- 

 lantic, observed the heavens frequently during this period, with particular 

 reference to this phenomenon. The sky was favorable, but he saw no 

 signs of a meteoric shower. 



The foregoing facts induce us to believe that this remarkable visitation 

 of meteors has passed by, after a recurrence for ten or eleven successive 

 years. We have indeed no records of it before the year 1830 ; but sup- 

 posing that the extraordinary exhibition of 1833 was the middle of the 

 whole series, when the phenomenon reached its maximum, and knowing 

 as we do, that from this time it rapidly declined until 1838, after which 

 it ceased altogether; we have reason to infer that it commenced the same 

 number of years before 1833, namely, in 1828, although it did not arrest 

 attention, so far as we have learned, until 1830. 



As 1799 was the maximum of its previous return, we might infer that 

 the cycle is thirty four years ; but, on the supposition that the phenomenon 

 arises from a conjunction of a nebulous body with the earth, near the node 

 of that body, the intervals of such conjunctions may be very various, like 

 the transits of Venus ; and hence ages may pass before the return of an- 

 other period of the meteoric showers of November, like that which we 

 have seen. That such a termination of the present period is entirely in 

 accordance with the expectations entertained by me from the first, will be 

 seen by reference to my papers on this subject, in the different volumes of 

 this Journal. Denison Olmsted. 



Yale College, Dec. 31,1840. 



6. Meteoric Observations in October and December, 1840. — As 

 there was some expectation that an unusual frequency of meteors 

 might be detected in the early part of October, I watched a while on 

 the mornings of the 7th and 8th, between 4 and 5 A. M., but saw no- 

 thing uncommon, the number of meteors noted being at the rate of 12 

 an hour, (for one observer.) The sky was cloudy on the 9th and 10th. 



On the evening of the 6th of December, 1840, a snow storm pre- 

 vented all observation for shooting stars. The nights of the 4th and 

 5th were also entirely overcast. The evening of the 7th was clear, 

 but the moon was nearly full. " Three observers watched from 6h. to 

 7h. P. M., and only one meteor was seen. The evenings of tlie 8th 

 and 9th were too cloudy for observation. On the 10th, which was 

 clear, I watched from 5h. 55m. to 6h. lOra. P. M., and saw but a sin- 

 gle meteor. It seems probable, then, that the meteors of December 

 6th-7lh, have this year failed. E. C. H. 



