308 Rev. Mr Farquharson on the Appearance and 
it makes more progress towards the south, becomes gradually 
extinct, long before it reaches the zenith, for it is liable to a to- 
tal extinction in every stage of its advancement ; but while it 
does continue, it follows the order above described, presenting 
the longest pencils of rays when at or below 45° of elevation, 
and more dense, compact and shorter ones, when nearer the 
zenith. 
It also very frequently happens, that the meteor is suddenly 
formed high above the horizon, at first by feeble detached rays, 
becoming quickly more compact and luminous. But, in what- 
ever stage it first begins, the succeeding relative progress is the 
same as above described. It was chiefly those meteors which 
were first formed above the horizon, that were observed to pass 
over the zenith. Those formed farther northward, generally 
disappeared before reaching that point. 
There is another modification of these appearances, and that 
is, when the whole meteor is either entirely to the eastward or 
westward of the magnetic meridian ; and this is of not unfrequent 
occurrence. In this case, the appearance and progress of the 
whole exactly agree with those of corresponding portions of the 
above described zone, which is formed when the meteor extends 
across the magnetic meridian. The extremity of the luminous 
space, which is nearest to the magnetic meridian, becomes first 
elevated above the horizon ; the pencils of rays are directed lon- 
gitudinally towards the zenith, or a point a little to the south of 
it ; and the meteor moves gradually towards the south, contract- 
ing gradually, in its lateral dimensions, till it reaches the prime 
vertical to the magnetic meridian, where it assumes the appear- 
ance of a vertical column of brilliant light, 3° or 4° in diameter, 
composed of pencils of rays parallel with itself. After passing the 
prime vertical to the magnetic meridian, or from 5° or 10° to the 
southward of it, the meteor begins to enlarge gradually in width, 
in an order the reverse of that in which it had become narrowed. 
Some other apparent irregularities have been at times ob- 
served. Thus, the pencils of rays have sometimes been seen 
separated into detached groups, but each group has been con- 
sistent in its appearance and position with those of the other 
groups ; so that, had the spaces between them been filled up, 
a complete zone, such as above described, would have been 
