26 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
be next expected in 1899. But there is no doubt that though 
this meteor-cloud is confined in its main richness to the close 
region of its cometary nucleus, yet the particles are sparsely dis- 
persed through the whole orbit. The stream may be very 
attenuated in places, but careful observations sustained at the 
proper time will reveal a few of the swift, streak-leaving 
meteors incontestably belonging to this shower. There were 
displays in 1787, 1818, 1822, 1823, 1841, and 1846, and more 
recently in 1877 and 1879, though in each case the comet itself 
was far removed from the neighbourhood of the Earth’s orbit. 
Fig. 2. Paths of 17 Leonids observed on the morning of Nov. 14, 1879. 
Pvadiant point = 148° + 23°. 
The shower of the present year was sustained over the five 
nights from Nov. 11 to Nov. 15. The first meteor was seen 
at about ll h 31 m on the 11th, both at Greenwich and at 
Writtle, leaving a fine streak amongst the stars in Eridanas 
and Cetus ; but the paths as registered at the two stations 
are non-divergent, and the radiant cannot therefore be derived 
with certainty, though the meteor was undoubtedly a brilliant 
Leonid. On Nov. 12, Mr. II. Corder, at Writtle, in Essex, 
saw many meteors (in a watch of five hours), including 
twelve from a good centre in Leo at 149° + 23°, and on several 
other nights he traced additional paths, making 29 in all, from 
