southwest. It was attended by a sudden flash of light, and left behind a curling track of a smoky or light cloudy appearance, which soon vanished. About a minute after the flash, there was heard a series of terrific explosions, which were compared to the discharge of a thousand cannon. These explosions continued for one or two minutes; they were very sharp and distinct, and shook the windows and doors of the houses. Similar noises have been reported from numerous stations in the southeastern part of New Jersey. These noises occasioned considerable alarm, and by some were thought to have been produced by an earthquake. From the preceding facts it seems almost certain that the meteor must have struck the earth at some point a little north of Cape May; and as it was unquestionably a body of considerable size and of great density, if it struck on dry ground the meteor ought to have been discovered. As we have received no account of such a discovery there is reason to apprehend that the meteor may have descended into water, and probably into Delaware Bay. Analogy would lead us to conclude that this belonged to the class of iron meteors of which we have numerous specimens in our cabinets. The velocity of this meteor was very extraordinary. It probably struck the earth at a distance of 110 miles from Washington, and is said to have been first seen at an elevation of 45°. This would make the length of its visible path 110 miles, and it is said to have described this path in two seconds, giving a velocity of 55 miles per second. A small portion of this velocity (7 miles per second) may be ascribed to the earth's attraction, and another portion was due to the motion of the earth in its orbit, for the earth was moving obliquely towards the meteor; but there still remains an independent velocity nearly double the velocity of the earth in its orbit. The path of the meteor in space could not therefore have been a circle with the sun for its center, as the above velocity is too great for any ellipse or even parabola; but such conclusions must be received with caution on account of the imperfection of the observations, for if we suppose the time of describing this path was three seconds, the independent velocity of the meteor would not have been much greater than that of the earth in its orbit. 4. Meteoric Explosion, in West Tennessee, Sept. 1st, 1859; by Prof. B. W. McDONNOLD, of Bethel College. The first of September was made memorable by the great Aurora. Here, that day of the calendar had another creta nota-a meteoric explosion. This explosion was heard at Bethel College about 10 o'clock, A. M., and was at first thought to be the firing of cannon in honor of a political election. The first report was double, like the almost simultaneous explosion of two great rockets, The reverberations were protracted, deep, distant. After the lapse of perhaps a half minute another explosion was heard, louder, deeper than the former, and the reverberations more protracted. The bearing of the sound was N. E. I find that the report was heard forty miles north of us, where it was supposed to bear South East; it was heard twelve miles south and west, bearing same as here; but farther south and west it was not heard at all. As yet, I have heard of no fragments of the meteor being found. I feel satisfied myself, however, of the meteoric origin of the explosion. 5. Catalogue of the Meteorites in the Imperial Austrian Collection at Vienna; by Prof. W. HAIDINGER.-Haidinger has communicated to the Austrian Academy of Sciences a complete list of the meteorites contained in the Imperial Collection at Vienna. It is an abstract from the complete catalogue made by the late Prof. Partsch and continued by Dr. Hoernes, the present director of the Imperial Cabinet. In the list which here follows-only the names of the localities and the time of falling (I) are given, or (II) in case of meteorites the time of falling of which is unknown they are classified according to the date when first described. The letter I following the year indicates the specimens to be meteoric iron. A. D. 1. 1492, I. Meteorites, with time of fall. Nov. 7, June 16, Ensisheim, Alsace, Département du Haut-Rhin, Garz (Schellin), near Stargard, Prussia. Liponas, near Pont de Verle and Bourg en Lucé en Maine, Dép. de la Sarthe, France. Sigena (Sena village), Aragon, Spain. Barbotan (Roquefort, Créon, Juillac, Mezin, Sienna, Tuscany. Wold Cottage, Yorkshire, England. March 8-12, Salès, near Villefranche, Dép. du Rhône, 12. 1794, 13. 1795, Dec. 13, 14. 1798, 15. 1798, Dec. 13, 16. 1803, 17. 1803, 18. 1803. 19. 1804, 20. 1805, 21. 1805, 22. 1805, 23. 1806, France. Alais, St. Étienne de Solm and Valence, Dép. Timochin, (Timschino, according to Eichwald), Weston, Connecticut. Parma (Casignano, Borgo S. Donino). Stannern, Iglau, Moravia. Lissa, Bunzlau, Bohemia. Kikina, Wiasemsk, Gov. Smolensk, Russia. Charsonville, near Orleans, Dép. du Loiret, March 12, Kuleschowka, Gov. Poltawa, Russia. 27. 1808, 28. 1808, 29. 1809, 30. 1810, May 22, Sept. 3, ? Aug. 31. 1810, Nov. 22, 32. 1811, 33. 1811, July 8, 34. 1812, 35. 1812, April 10, 36. 1812, Aug. 5, 37. 1813, Sept. 10, 38. 1813, 39. 1814, 40. 1814, 41. 1815, Dec. 13, Feb. 15, Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Toulouse, Dép. de la Haute-Garonne, France. Chantonnay, between Nantes and La Rochelle, Limerick (Adair, Seagh, Brasky, Faha), Lim- Lontalax (Lontalaks), Gov. Wiborg, Finland. 42. 1818, April 10, Zaborzika (Saboryzy, Saboritz on the Slutsch), Volhynia, Russia. Seres, Macedonia, Turkey. Slobodka, Iuchnow, Gov. Smolensk, Russia. Politz, near Gera, Duchy of Reuss. Lixna (Liksen), Lasdany, Gov. Witebsk, Juvenas, near Libonnez, Dép. de l'Ardèche, Epinal (la Baffe), Dép. des Vosges, France. Renazzo, in Ferrara, Papal States. Zebrak (Praskoles), near Horzowitz, Beraun, Government Iekaterinoslaw, Russia. Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. Nashville (Drake Creek), Tennessee. Bialystok (Kuasta or Kuasti village), Russian Richmond, Virginia. Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia. Vouillé, near Poitiers, Dép. de la Vienne, Wessely (Dorf Znorow), Moravia. Blansko, Bruenn, Moravia. Okniny (Okaninah), Kremenetz District, Gov. Simonod (Samonot), Belmont, Dép. de l'Ain, Macao, Prov. Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil. Capeland (Bokkeveld, 15 miles from Tulpagh), Little Piney, west of Potosi, Missouri, lat. 37° Milena (Milyan), Pusinsko Selo, 4 miles S. Aumières, Canton St. George, Dép. de la Lozère, France. Bishopville, South Carolina. Utrecht, Blaauw Kapel, Loewenhutye, Neth- Klein- Wenden, near Nordhausen, Prussia. Iowa, Linn County, Iowa. Braunau (Hauptmannsdorf), Koeniggraetz, Cabarras County, North Carolina. Guetersloh, Westphalia. Mezo-Madaras (and Fekete), Transylvania. Bremervoerde, Landdrostei Stade, Hanover. Kaba, S. W. of Debreczin, Nordbihar, Hun gary. Kakova, N. W. of Oravitza, Temesvar Banat. II. Meteorites, with time of discovery. 92. 1751, I. Steinbach, between Eibenstock and Johann-Georgenstadt, Saxony (sometimes given as coming from Norway, Tabor, Senegal, &c.). Senegal, Siratik in Bambuk, Africa. Krasnojarsk, Gov. Ieniseisk, Siberia. Tucuman (Otumpa), Argentine Republic, S. America. 93. 1763, I. 94. 1776, I. 95. 1784, I. 96. 1788, I. 97. 1792, I. Zacatecas, Mexico. Durango, Mexico. Bitburg, Lower Rhine, Prussia. Rasgata, New Granada, S. America. Caille (Grasse), Dép. du Var, France. Claiborne, Alabama. Asherville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina. Cocke County, Cosby-Creek, (also called Sevier iron), Petropaulowsk, Gov. Tomsk, Siberia. Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Green County (Babbs-Mills), Greenville, Tennessee. Government Kursk, Russia. Government Poltawa (according to Eichwald in the dis- Seeläsgen, Neumark, Brandenburg, Prussia. Schwetz, Province of Prussia. Ruff's Mountain, Newberry, South Carolina. Seneca Falls, Cayuga Co., New York. Union County, Georgia. Lion River, Namaqua Land, South Africa. Putnam County, Georgia. Canada, Madoc, Canada West. Hainholz, S. W. of Paderborn, Minden, Westphalia. V. MISCELLANEOUS SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 1. Inquiries into the Phenomena of Respiration; by EDWARD SMITH, M.D., (L. E. and D. Phil. Mag., xvii, 439).-The author gives in this communication the result of numerous inquiries into the quantity of carbonic acid expired, and of air inspired, with the rate of pulsation and respiration,-1st, in the whole of the twenty-four hours, with and without exertion and food; 2nd, the variations from day to day, and from season to season; and 3rd, the influence of some kinds of exertion. |