ARTICLE XVIII. 



Observations upon the Meteors of August. By C. G. Forshey, City Engineer of 

 Natchez, and late Professor of Mathematics and Civil Engineering, Jefferson 

 College, Mississippi. Read August 24, 1840. 



August is doubtless more prolific of meteors than any other month in the 

 year ; and this fact had called my attention more particularly to the character 

 of these meteors than of others; when, in May, I think, 1838, 1 first met the paper 

 of Mr. E. C. Herrick, calling the attention of observers to the night of the 9th annu- 

 ally. This fact appears to have been first noticed, and attention to have been spe- 

 cially called to it by Quetelet, of Brussels, to whom we are indebted for annual ob- 

 servations in reference to it since 1836. Upon reference to my register of August, 

 1837, I found this memorandum for the night of the 6th : " An unusual number 

 of brilliant meteors, with long trains, chiefly from about Cassiopeia." But 

 from this date we had near a week of cloudy, rainy weather, preventing further 

 observation, till the night of the 14th. This evening I find a similar note, with 

 a more minute description of a very large meteor passing from Cassiopeia to 

 Aquila. On the night of the 16th a similar note, with particular description 

 of two extraordinary ones. Several succeeding evenings exhibited brilliant me- 

 teors, but originating variously, and observing no common direction nor radiant. 



This apparent continuation of the display, which has its maximum about the 

 10th, agrees with the observations of the two succeeding years, as will appear 

 below. The above observations were made at Jeiferson College, Mississippi, 

 Latitude 31° 36' 42", Longitude 91° 20'. 



VII. — 3 R 



