198 



The President gave a short account of his visit to Norway, 

 to observe the Eclipse, in August last ; and explained the ob- 

 ject of the recent Rules made by the Council for expediting 

 the publication of Communications made to the Academy. 



The Secretary read a communication from Digby Pilot 

 Starkey, Esq., M. R. I. A., on a Meteoric Phenomenon, simi- 

 lar to an Aurora Borealis, seen at Kingstown June 22nd, 185 1 : 



"At about half-past 10, p. m., it crossed the magnetic north, 

 from W. to E., nearly horizontally, and disappeared, like the 

 bursting of a rocket, at about 25° or 30° above the horizon. It 

 was of the colour of flame, and left a tail of white light, pro- 

 bably 40° in length, or more, ending where the meteor disap- 

 peared, and assuming the appearance of a comet, with a distinct 

 head and long, ribbon-shaped tail. After five minutes, or there- 

 abouts, it began to become wavy, as if blown by the wind ; 

 and before a quarter of an horn- had elapsed it assumed a form 

 resembling three arches, with rays diverging downwards from 

 three points of contact, the head becoming diffused, but occa- 

 sionally returned in portions, for some time. The downward 

 rays at the nodes were not constant, but remitted and recurred 

 more than once. There was the crepuscular haze in the north 

 at the time ; sky cloudless ; light wind, nearly north ; air cold." 



The President said that important and useful information 

 might be preserved for scientific men if those who chanced to 

 observe meteors would be careful to endeavour to mark accu- 

 rately any particular star near which they appeared, any strik- 

 ing phenomena accompanying them, and the time of their 

 appearance or disappearance as given by a common watch. 

 Should the meteor disappear behind any object, such as a tree, 

 the observer would do well to note also his position at the time, 

 together with the point of disappearance as afforded by the'in- 

 tervening object. Circumstances such as these were almost 

 the only means of determining whether those bodies belonged 

 to our atmosphere, or existed beyond its range. 



