425 
viously and for three years successively to that of 1833 the 
showers of 1787 and 1822 cannot be brought into the 33- 
year period of maximum manifestations of falling stars. 
Besides the November period, there is another well-marked 
periodical fall of stars between the 9th and 14th of August, 
the 10th of August (St. Lawrence's day) was traditionally 
famous for “ the fiery tears of St. Lawrence." As early as 1 762, 
Muschenbroek remarked the large number of falling stars 
m the month of August. But the periodic return on St. 
Lawrence's day was first shown by Quetelet, Olbers, and 
Benzenberg. Bessel and Erman pointed out that the radiant 
point for the August shower was in Perseus. In April it is 
probable that there may be another period. On the 25th of 
April, 1095, “innumerable eyes in France saw stars falling 
from heaven as thickly as hail;" and on the 25th of April. 
1800, a great fall of stars was observed in Virginia and 
Massachusetts; it was a “fire of rockets that lasted two 
hours. On the night of the 6th and 7th of December, 1798 
Brandes counted 2,000 falling stars. At Quito on the 4th of 
February, 1797, shortly before the terrible earthquake of 
Eiobamba, stars were seen to fall in swarms. 
It may be well to remark that the train seen to follow a 
shooting star is no mere optical delusion, produced by the 
impression of light remaining impressed on the retina. It 
sometimes continues visible for a minute, or even longer, and 
even changes its. shape. The falling stars which ordinarily 
* S ' cann °t be traced to any periodic display, 
and do not seem to emanate from any particular point of the 
heavens, are termed “ sporadic." Eight is supposed to be the 
mean number to be observed in the course of an hour on any 
nig’ht. Perhaps they are more abundantly seen at some 
places than others. Burnes, describing the clear atmosphere 
Bokhara, says, “At night the stars have uncommon lustre, 
and tne Milky Way shines gloriously in the firmament. There 
is also a never-ceasing display of the most brilliant meteors, 
which dart like rockets in the sky : ten or twelve of them are 
sometimes seen in an hour, assuming every colour, — fiery red, 
blue, pale and faint." Jansen, again, describing the night 
scenes of the Java Sea, says, “The starlight, which is reflected 
by the mirrored waters, causes the nights to vie in clearness with 
the early twilight in high latitudes. Numerous shootino* stars 
weary the eye, although they break the monotony of the 
sparkling firmament. Their unceasing motion in the un- 
fathomable ocean affords a great contrast to the seemino- 
quiet ol the gently-flowing aerial current of the land breeze! 
But at times, when 30° or 40° above the horizon, a fire-ball 
