PROGRESS OP METEORIC ASTRONOMY IN AMERICA. 307 
“ The brilliancy of the aggregated masses depends upon 
the number of the meteorites and not upon the intensity of 
the light.” 
“ The bright flutings of carbon in the spectra of some 
‘ stars/ taken in conjunction with their absorption phenom¬ 
ena, indicate that widely separated meteorites at a low tem¬ 
perature are involved.” 
“ New stars are produced by the clash of meteor-swarms, 
the bright lines seen being low temperature lines of those 
elements in meteorites the spectra of which are most brill¬ 
iant at a low stage of heat.” 
“A comet is a swarm of meteors in company. Such a 
swarm finally makes a continuous orbit by virtue of arrested 
velocities. Impacts will break up large stones and will 
produce new vapors, which will condense into small me¬ 
teoroids.” 
“ When the meteorites are strongly heated in a glow-tube 
the whole tube, when the electric current is passing, gives us 
the spectrum of carbon. When a meteor-swarm approaches 
the sun the whole region of space occupied by the meteorites 
* * * gives us the same spectrum.” 
“ The first stage in the spectrum of a comet is that in 
which there is only the radiation of the magnesium. The 
next is that in which Mg. 500 is replaced wholly or par¬ 
tially by the spectrum of cool carbon. Mg. is then added 
and cool carbon is replaced by hot carbon. The radiation 
of manganese 558 and sometimes lead 546 is then added. 
Absorption phenomena next appears, manganese 558 and 
lead 546 being indicated by thin masking effect upon 
the citron band of carbon. The absorption band of iron is 
also sometimes present at this stage. At this stage also the 
group of carbon flutings, which I have called carbon B, prob¬ 
ably also makes its appearance. As the temperature in¬ 
creases still further, magnesium is represented by b, and lines 
of iron appear. This takes place when the comet is at or 
near perihelion.” 
“ The observations on meteorites recorded in the Bakerian 
38—Bull. Phil. Soc., Wash., Vol. 11. 
