METEORS OF AUGUST AND NOVEMBER. 103 



garded as a possible error of observation, and a complete compensation of nor- 

 mal velocities would be considered as having taken place, and nothing would 

 remain, either in their numbers or directions, but d, promiscuous character; ex- 

 cept, perhaps, a probable slowness of their true motions, making their relative 

 tendency to the same point in the heavens more conspicuous. 



There is another anniversary period about the tenth of August which may 

 be termed Quetelet's period, from the circumstance of its first announcement by 

 that celebrated philosopher, which is far better established than that of Novem- 

 ber, and presents phenomena more extraordinary, and more peculiar than have 

 been witnessed at that of the latter, with the single exception of the great 

 numbers in 1799, 1832, and 1833. This August phenomenon has been wit- 

 nessed on more than half the anniversaries of this century. The group of 

 bodies composing each display is more extensive, and the well determined mean 

 normal velocity quite too great, to be explained on the supposition of their 

 true directions and velocities being promiscuous in space. I shall here append 

 Quetelet's table of the dates of remarkable showers of meteors, with a few ad- 

 ditions, either more recent in occurrence, or since brought to notice, by Hum- 

 boldt, Boguslawski, Erman, Jun., or others. A more extensive list has been 

 prepared by Mr. Herrick, of New Haven, chiefly from his own researches, 

 which it is hoped will soon be made public. The August and November me- 

 teors are most numerous from midnight to sunrise. This circumstance has 

 been noticed by Prof. Olmsted," Mr. Herrick," and others, and is ascribed, by 

 the latter, to the position of the observer, whose geocentric direction then cor- 

 responds most nearly with that of his actual motion. Custodes,^^ however, 

 found the meteors of August 11th, 1834, most numerous before midnight. Mr. 

 Herrick" has noticed, with respect to the meteoric abundance of Dec. 6th, 1798, 

 and Dec. 7th, 1838, that the display was as great before as after midnight. 

 This would lead us to suppose their relative velocity, of the latter, so great, 

 as to have a character independent of the observer's motion. It has already 

 been stated that the true velocity of the December floch must have been at 

 least equal to that of the earth. Hence that we are led to conclude, from 

 observation, that those meteors which for other reasons are supposed to have 



**Sill. XXXV. p. 370. "Mem. xxxiii. p. 359, xxxvii. p. 333, and xxxix. p. 330. 



5° Schu. Jahrb. 1838, p. 324, Note. f idem. xxxv. p. 363. 



