30 ON THE ORBIT AND PHENOMENA 



much interrupted by clouds, so that during the course of the meteor, sometimes its 

 general glare only was seen, and at others there was absolute darkness."' 



Towanda, Pennsylvania, No. 87. Communicated by Selden J. Coffin, from an 

 observation by J. H. Kingsbury, with reference to the eaves of a house near which 

 he was sitting. 



Trojj, New York, Nos. 127 and 146. No. 146 was observed by D. A. Wells 

 and Prof Drowne, and No. 127 by another professor in Troy University. The ob- 

 servations are claimed to be of the "first class." The meteor appeared "exactly 

 10 minutes to ten," and was visible from 35 to 40 seconds.^ 



Turin, New York, No. 97. Observed by Dr. Franklin B. Hough, who estimates 

 the time of flight at " about 40 seconds," and says, " I think it passed very near 

 the planet Mars, but I was so absorbed in observing its appearance and changes 

 that its track was not noted with precision. Its course was from a Httle north of 

 west to the southeast, and it vanished nearly 2° above the horizon." 



Utica, New York, Lat. 43° 5', Lon. 75° 16'. Eeported time 9h. 45m.=' 



Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Nos. 37 and 191. Communicated to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution by Caleb P. Jones, who says that according to the testimony of 

 one observer at this place, the meteor set behind hills in the east, at an elevation 

 of 6° to 8° ; that it consisted of three parts, and that the time was near 1 o'clock 

 P. M.* Also, that another observer reports it as setting behind the hills at an alti- 

 tude of 10° ; that it was first seen just before its culmination ; that the time of 

 passage was estimated at some 15 to 20 seconds, and that the greatest altitude was 

 " 40°, or a Httle less." 



Vernon, Vermont, No. 219. Observed by " A. P. C," who reports to the Utica 

 Herald that the greatest altitude of the meteor was 30° ; that it was visible from 

 one to three minutes, and that the time was 9h. 50m. P. M.° 



Wallingford, Connecticut, Nos. 104, 129, 155, and 229. Communicated by 

 Benjamin F. Harrison, who says that the observations are "very reliable, particu- 

 larly No. 129. In the calculations for this place 6° 30' is allowed for magnetic 

 variation."" 



Washington City, Nos. 68, 82, 86, 90, and 183. No. 68 was copied from an 

 article published the following day (July 21) in one of the newspapers, as follows : 

 " About half past 9 o'clock^ last night a meteor appeared in the northeast, at an 



* According to calculation, the meteor was S.S.W. at 91i. 25m. 5Tsec., was visible only 5 seconds, 

 and disappeared 12 seconds before the first disruption. Apparent course wben it crossed the 

 meridian, S. tl° 20' E. 



" Time of first appearance of the meteor according to calculation, 9h. 49m. 9 sec. ; time thence to 

 the meridian, 14 seconds, and at the end of the "35 or 4'0 seconds" it must have been very low 

 towards the southeastern horizon. 



' Calculated time of meridian passage at TJtica, 9h. 42m. 43 sec. 



* Calculated time of meridian passage at Valley Forge, 9h 42m. 6 sec. 



* Calculated time of meridian passage at Vernon, 9h. 49m. 58 sec. The calculated path would 

 satisfy this observation much better, if we suppose it to have been made at Vernon, New York. 



° The observations would be better satisfied if wc suppose the magnetic variation at the time to 

 have been 1° instead of 6J°. 



' Calculated time of meridian passage at Washington, 9h. 35m. 51 sec. 



