oBsfiRVATiONS ON SHOOTING ^TARS. 131 



ttr misplaced, and cause considerable trouble by being 

 always loose. By inclining the sash on its pivots, the highest 

 point being within the room, the window may be left open 

 in the most severe rain without danger Olany entering the room* 

 and a person may look out into the street without being wet. 



X. 



Observations on the peculiar Appearances of those Meteors 

 commonly called Shooting Stars. In a Letter from Tho- 

 mas FOBSTER, Esq, 



To W. NICHOLSON, Esq. 

 SIR, 



VyNCE mbrfe I trouble you with some meteorological ob- PctuHarify in 

 servationsj which, if you think worthy, I shall be oblio-ed to ^^^ e'ectnc 

 you to insert in your next. In a former nunlber of your mosphere. 

 Journal I noti<ied an apparent peculiarity in the Electric 

 state of the atmosphere, during which the action of Mr. De 

 Luc's aerial electroscope was very irregular. The principal 

 circumstances, which characterised such a state of the at- 

 mospherical electricity, were the continual appearance of 

 the cirrus clovid, which, like Proteus, was for ever changing 

 its shape, and presenting itself to the eye under new figures; 

 the prevalence of strong easterly and variable win<ls; and 

 dry air. Among other circumstances 1 remarked the ap- 

 pearance of numerous small meteors, or falling stars as thej*^ 

 are commonly galled, curing the night. 



The same kind of weather has returned again this autumn. Similar appear. 



marked bv similar circumstances, and the small meteors have *"".® '?*'" '"^" 



" • . curnjig. 



again beennumerous. On this last circum^.ai eel dwell par- 

 ticularly; for I have observed, that these meteors Vary very .Shooting stars 

 considerably in appearance according to the kujd of weather have differen; 

 xvhich prevails. Those which I have alluded to, and which ' 



are usually seen during the prevalence of clear dry weather 

 and easterly winds, are small, they s oot along very ra- 

 pidly, and leave little or no train behind them; they have \ 

 60 much the colour and general appearance of the stars, that 

 they have hence received their vulgar appellatiop. Si- 

 K. 2 roilar 



