STREAKS OF LIGHT FROM SHOOTING STARS. 



the ground, make a hole in the earth by the point of the 

 dibble rod, then raise the rod above the hole where the two 

 tubes communicate, drop the acorn down the tube b, which 

 falls immediately through it and the lower part of the stave 

 tube into the hole previously made by the rod, which hole is 

 instantly covered by the soil raised by the wings. The 

 dibble rod may be occasionally passed down the metal tube, 

 to be certain of its being perfectly clear. 



VI. 



On the apparent Streaks of Light, left sometimes by falling 

 or shooting Stars ', and on their apparent rectilinear Courses 

 in the Atmosphere. In a Letter from John F arey, Sen. Esq. 



To W. NICHOLSON, Esq. 

 Sir, 



269 



S 



OME months ago I was induced, by the frequent refer- shooting star* 

 ences to shooting or falling stars, as being a phenomenon in not connected 



. i-i • , o 4 1 1 with tne state 



and connected with particular states or our atmosphere, that f the atmos- 



I had noticed in the improved Meteorological Journals for phere. 

 tome time previously, inserted in yours and other periodical 

 works, to address the gentlemen engaged in these ob- 

 servation, through your means (see Vol. XXX, p. 285), to 

 suggest, from considerable series of observations by myself 

 and others on these bodies, that their appearance at parti- 

 cular times was in no way influenced by the particular state 

 of our atmosphere, (any more than the appearance of the 

 moon at particular periods of her revolution); except only, 

 by the absence of clouds and haziness to obscure, and of 

 greater degrees of light from other sources to overpower 

 them (as the stars &c. are by the day-light) ; and to request 

 the minute attention of these and other meteorologists to 

 the particular circumstances, decisive of these my sug- 

 gestions being well or ill founded. Since which, and pro- 

 bably in consequence, the references to these phenomena, 

 before so frequent, have nearly or altogether ceased in the 

 Joura >f Meteorological observations referred to; but 

 noth ,-ther has appeared on the subject, until your 



last nt 3 which, p. 229, a very respectable and veteran 



meteorologist, 



