52 D. Kirkwood— Meteors of April 30th-May 1st. 
one has yet proved that these mineral characters are restricted 
to rocks of a certain geological period. I answer, that in oppo- 
sition to these facts, it has not yet been proved that they belong 
to any later geological period than the one already indicated ; 
and that it is only by bringing together observations, as I have 
done, that we can ever hope to determine the geological value 
of these mineral fossils. In no other way did William Smith 
prove, in Great Britain, the value of organic fossils, and thus 
lay the foundations of paleontological geology. 
Montreal, April, 1872. 
ArT. XL—On the Meteors of April 30th- May 1st; by Pro- 
fessor DANIEL KrRKW0O 
PROFESSOR SCHIAPARELLI, in his list of meteoric” showers 
whose radiant points are derived from observations made in 
Italy within the last few years, describes one as occurring on 
April 30th and May Ist, the apparent position of whose radiant 
is in the Northern Crown, R. A. 287°, N.P. D. 55°. The same 
shower has also been recognized by Robert P. Greg, F.R.S., of 
Manchester, England. This meteor-stream, it is now propos 
to show, is probably derived from one much more conspicuous 
in ancient times. 
In Quetelet’s Physique du Globe, pp. 290-297, we find mete- 
oric displays of the following dates. In each case the corres- 
ponding day for 1870 is also given,* in order to exhibit the 
close agreement of the epochs. 
1. A. D. 401, April 9th ; ee BS to April ey, for 1870. 
538, = 
‘ 
2 6th: April 25 
2 839, “9 arith ay ea $ 
4," —. OB7. 4 seme Ms April 30th, . 
&.” = 984 ie « May Ist, : 
6. “1009, * «“ April 28th,  “ 
The epochs of bey and 934 suggest as probable the short 
riod of 7 years. It is found agin: aly th ire 
interval of 608 years—from 401 eee equal to 89 
mean periods of 68315 years coh ” With this S approximate 
value the six dates are all represented as follows 
From A. D. 401 to A. D. 538, 20 periods of 6: 85 years. 
, 44 “cc 6°84 ee 
38 to 
“ 839 to 927, 13 - ot Ee ety 
_ 927 to 934, 1 10: = 
ee 934 to 1009, 11 = Sus; © 
s period corresponds approximately to those of several 
gaeta whose aphelion distances are somewhat greater than the — : 
* Making proper allowance for the precession of the equinoxes. 
