506 : H. C. RUSSELL. 
before. The sudden increase in brilliance occurred apparently : 
over Mount Tomah, two or three degrees above the top of that 
hill. The light was dazzling and cast strong shadows. 
No. 12, Ashfield—Mr. Ernest A. Nichol, at Ashfield with , 
a friend ; “we both saw it begin at 12° above horizon; it was — 
at first a bright yellow, then dull gold, and at 8° high it burst out — 
into a brilliant whitish light like an explosion, but no sound was 
heard, thence it was nearly parallel to the horizon. It appeared 
to be due west when it went out. In the Jatter part of its course 
it assumed a long fish-shape and emitted a dazzling light, like the 
electric light ; head and tail together during this part of its course 
had a form like an indian club used for calisthenics, the handle 
end flattened a little.” 
No. 13, Kiama.—Capt. H. H. Honey of Riversdale, had a fine 
view of the meteor of May 7th, about 11 p.m. It was the most 
brilliant meteor he had ever seen. At first it appeared as 
large as Venus but much more brilliant, and gradually grew 
larger until it appeared about twice the size of the moon, which 
was shining brightly at the time; its track was towards south- 
west by south, and its motion much slower than that of ordinary 
meteors. He first saw it north-west 5° N., and the great explos 
ion took place exactly west-north-west; this was scotia first 
by noting the exact place of observation, then the relation of the 
apparent position of the meteor to certain trees on the neighbour: 
ing hills, and then returning to the place and measuring the bear- 
ings with an azimuth compass, and the elevations by the same 
means. When first seen at north-west 5° N. its elevation ¥® 
from 20° to 23°, say 21°, it was then following a slowly descent 
ing course, and after the explosion it seemed to descend more 
rapidly and disappeared below the horizon at a point 5” south of 
west over a range of mountains 2,000 feet high, with an elevation 
of 4° as seen from Kiama. The meteor was of extraordinary 
brilliance, so much so that although the moon was nearly full 
shining brightly, the shadows cast by the meteor were quite 
distinct. At its greatest the meteor looked twice the size 
