2(>7 



be called to the subject ; he also enforces the necessity for con- 

 formity to the plan laid down in the circular of the Academy: — 



Also a letter from Mr. James C. Reid, of the Erie Academy; 

 containing the directions of the paths of thirty-eight meteors, 

 or "shooting stars/' observed by him on the 10th of August 

 last, between 10 and 11 P. M. 



Prof. Bache also stated, that observations are making at 

 Cambridge, Mass., under the superintendence of Prof. Peirce, 

 and by an appropriation from the American Academy, for ob- 

 taining the directions of the paths of meteors. The observa- 

 tions are made on the first clear night of each week from dark 

 until 11 o'clock, and from 3 A. M. until daylight. The par- 

 ticulars recorded are the right ascension and declination of the 

 points of first and last appearance of the meteor, the magni- 

 tude, and the general circumstances of the motion. 



Professor Rogers gave illustrations, in addition to those pre- 

 sented by him at a former meeting, to show that the lines of 

 simultaneous movement in the earthquake of the 4th of Janu- 

 ary last were nearly meridional, or from a little east of north to 

 a little west of south; the wave passing in succession from west 

 to east. 



Prof. R. discussed the additional observations which he had pro- 

 cured in support of his conclusions ; and comparing the action of this 

 earthquake with that of others on record, remarked upon its coinci- 

 dence with that going to produce great anticlinal flexures. He stated 

 that he was engaged in examining the phenomena and motion of the 

 earthquake of February the 8th ; the focal area of which appeared 

 to be an elongated ellipse. 



Mr. Walker made an oral communication of the observations 

 made upon the Comet by Prof. Kendall and himself, first seen 

 at the High School Observatory on the 11th of March, and of 

 the elements of its orbit, as they had computed them. 



The ephemeris calculated from their elements gives an error of 

 less than two minutes of space in the centre of the nebulous appear- 

 ance corresponding to the nucleus of comets generally. Mr. Walker 

 also noticed the observations and computations of Professor Loomis, 

 Professor Peirce, and others, and indicated the special difficulties pre- 

 sented by the computation of the orbit of this comet, which, with or- 



