Meteoric shower of November, 1872, in Italy. 127 
many other places. It commenced with the dusk, and the 
meteors kept falling till after midnight, and must have con- 
tinued still later, but a fog prevented us from following them 
and a half. 
All the wonderful and beautiful appearances which have 
been described in the srand meteoric showers of the 14th of 
ovember passed before us. Many meteors showed the most 
varied and delicate colors ; many others were followed by broad 
and brilliant tracks of fire; very frequently balls of dazzling 
light, some with a diameter little less than that of the moon, 
Were seen. Light and transparent clouds broke here and there 
in the atmosphere, splitting into belts of rays of the most pie 4 
and fantastic form. From time to time some of these clou 
temained fixed in the celestial vault, and shone for some time, 
and there was one which appeared at 6" 35™ P. M., between 
At the present its point of contact with the earth’s orbit should 
fall recisely on the 27-28th November. 
, OW, as 
Hons, it appears that this same meteoric current follows the 
orbit of the very remarkable comet of Biela, whose appearance 
