Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 054.pdf/405

 but then came about to the N. W. From that time to 8$h$ 15′ P. M. it gradually decreased, and was succeeded by almost a perfect calm, the least breath of air being then scarce perceptible. During the continuance of the meteor, this calm remained; and after the extinction of it, the weather was considerably milder than before. The 24th was a warmer day than any we had had since the month commenced, the sun irradiating us from morning 'till evening with his salutary rays. The whole hemisphere and the horizon this evening were clear and serene, the firmament being but slightly interspersed with thin whitish clouds. That part of it near the horizon was tinged with a most beautiful red colour. The sun, just before he emerged out of our hemisphere, perfectly resembled a globe of fire.

I have not yet been able to meet with an instance of a similar phænomenon in any physiological papers, published before the year 1750. But accounts of two or three meteors somewhat resembling that above described, in our Philosophical Transactions, then occurred. However, that of the 23d of April, 1764, differed from one of these in it's extent, as well as the inconsiderable breadth of the zone forming the arch, and the bissection of the hemisphere. From the others it was sufficiently distinguished by it's most vivid resplendent whiteness, without any short, white, vibrating columns attached to it; especially, as it was neither preceded, attended, nor followed by any streaming luminous rays, or coruscations. I, cannot help therefore considering this as a singular sort