206 
It will be needful to ascertain 
1. If the meteors were above 
the clouds or beneath them, if 
any reached the ground, where 
and how? Common shooting 
stars reach, the ground in 
oblique phosphoric streams. 
2. How high was the region 
where they started, or where 
some exploded? this may be 
ascertained by angles. 
3. Was their light phospho- 
ric, electrical or enflamed? 
4. Did not their general mo- 
tion move contrary to the 
earth’s actual motion at the 
time? 
5. Was the whole a sidereal 
or an atmospheric phenome- 
non? Did it begin out or at the 
contact of the atmosphere? 
After this we must discuss 
what connection there may be 
between these meteors and the 
aurora borealis, 2d comets, 3 
electricity, 4 the hydrogene of 
the atmosphere, 5 volcanic 
emanations, 6 aerolites and bo- 
lides, 7 other luminous meteors 
trabes, zodiacal lights, &c. 8 
common flying stars, &c. 
Therefore, correct scientific 
explanations will not be easy 
nor speedy. Whatever may be 
said or conjectured, without 
reference to these needful en- 
quiries, will be mere conjecture 
and vain theories. 
The following facts may be 
stated as ascertained already: 
1. They were not similar to 
common flying stars. 
2. They were seen at 4000 
miles distance, N. and S., E. 
and W. or occupied that im- 
mense space. 
3. Many meteors were com- 
mingled, some exploded with 
noise, others did not. 
4. The general motion was 
radiating from a circle in the 
Atlantic Ocean. 
5. No Aerolites fell or was 
seen to fall. 
6. The aurora borealis ap- 
peared along with them onf 
Lake Erie or towards the N. 
W. 
7. They extended chiefly over 
the northern hemisphere of the 
earth. 
8. They did not set fire to 
any thing, like thunder bolts 
and bolides. 
1 55. BOTANY. 
Chronological Index &f the prin- 
cipal Botanical Works and 
Discoveries published by Co 
S. Rajhmque- 
Some botanical writers have 
been loath or prevented to ren- 
der justice to my botanical la- 
bors and discoveries since 1802; 
they pretend that they do not 
know all my works; yet when 
they know them they often ne- 
glect them. Idleness or jeal- 
ousy would be a better pretext. 
Some European botanists, and 
Decandolle, the first among 
them, have done me better jus- 
tice. 
I will give here a complete 
index of nearly all my publica- 
tions on Botany, chiefly on N. 
American plants, in order of 
time, which settles the right to 
discoveries and improvements. 
They are mostly to be obtain- 
ed from me, and are embodied 
in my Amenities of Nature, or 
