﻿Wellington PhilosophiGal Society. 355 



over ITew Zealand on the 1st instant at 8.30 p.m., wliicli lie stated liad a 

 general course from about a point west of north through the zenith of Picton, 

 over which place it passed at less than thirty miles altitude above the surface of 

 the earth, travelling with an apparent velocity of twelve miles per second. Its 

 form was that of a ball intensely luminous, of a reddish hue, with a long very 

 brilliant tapering tail, the light of which resembled burning magnesium wire, 

 but giving off red sparks. It completely paled the light of the moon, which 

 was shining brightly. The area over which it had been seen has a length of 

 700 miles, and a width of 300, from lat. 36^ S., long. 122° E., to lat 46° S., 

 long. 175° S. The apparent diameter of the head was 10', and the length of 

 the tail tapering about 1°. Some of the observations appear to indicate that 

 its coui'se must have descended towards the earth's surface, but this depends on 

 mere estimates of angular altitude, which cannot be depended on. The pro- 

 longed detonation which followed the passage of the meteor does not appear to 

 have been heard at all the stations, but chiefly at those in the vicinity of Cook 

 Strait, where the path of the meteor intersected ISTew Zealand, all the observers 

 in the North Island having seen it to the west, and those in the South Island 

 to the east. When nearest to Wellington it must have been at a distance, in 

 a direct line, of fifty-five miles, which agrees with the time, five minutes, which 

 elapsed before the report Avas heard. This shows that the report did not 

 proceed from the final bursting of the meteor, but proceeded from it at the 

 time when it was nearest to the observer. Indeed, from the length of the 

 path in which the meteor was seen, its sudden disappearance, as if by bursting, 

 must have been an optical illusion in the case of all the northerly observers. 



Mr. Marchant stated that he had witnessed another meteor, almost ecpial in 

 brilliancy to the above, on the previous evening (27th instant), passing from 

 east to west. 



Mr. Floyd, of the Telegraph Department, stS,ted that this meteor was 

 reported at several stations in the North Island, and a^ipeared to have 

 passed over Napier, on the east, to Patea on the west coast. Its colour was 

 bhie. 



4. " On the Conducting Power of various Metallic Sulphides and Oxides 

 for Electricity, as compared with that of Acids and Saline Solutions," by 

 W. Skey, Analyst to the Geological Survey of New Zealand. (See Transac- 

 tions, p. 311.) 



5. " On the Electro-motive and Electrolytic Phenomena developed by Gold 

 and Platiua in solutions of the Alkaluie Sulphides," by W. Skey. (See 

 Transactions, p. 313.) 



