301 



Dr. Horner called attention to the noise and shock observed 

 about 9 o'clock on Saturday evening last (Nov. 14), which 

 were supposed by some to be those of an earthquake. Judge 

 Hopkinson referred to a statement, that the phenomena were 

 supposed to be produced by the explosion of a near meteor. 

 Mr. Nicklin mentioned facts, which induced him to think 

 there had been a slight shock of an earthquake at the time 

 mentioned. Dr. Chapman and Mr. Cresson attributed the 

 rumbling noise and shock to thunder. Dr. Chapman had no- 

 ticed a flash of lightning near the horizon, which was followed 

 by thunder. Mr. Cresson had noted an interval of nearly two 

 minutes between the flash of lightning and the clap of thun- 

 der. 



Prof. Henry described an apparatus for producing a recipro- 

 cating motion by the repulsion in the consecutive parts of a 

 conductor, through which a galvanic current is passing; and 

 made some remarks in reference to the electro-magnetic ma- 

 chine invented by him in 1829, and subsequently described by 

 Dr. Ritchie, of London. The machine referred to had been 

 applied recently by Prof. Henry in his experiments. 



Mr. Fisher announced the death of Benjamin R. Morgan, a 

 member of the Society, who died on Nov. 19. 



Dr. Patterson stated on behalf of Mr. Gillies, of Washing- 

 ton — introduced at the meeting as a member of the National 

 Institution of Washington — that he had watched for meteors at 

 Washington on the nights of the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th of 

 November, but had failed to observe any on these occasions. 



Prof. Bache communicated an extract of a letter from Prof. 

 Rumker, Director of the Observatory of Hamburg, which con- 

 tained the results of his observations of Galle's first comet, and 

 occultations observed in April, May, June, and August, 1840. 



