other directions. On the morning of November 17 the firmament was not very favourable, but during occasional observation

FIG. 2.-The Radiant of the Leonid shower, 1903 November 15, 12" to 18h

Taking the maximum as having occurred on November 15, 17h 40m, the Earth's longitude was 52° 41', while the bright shower observed in America in 1901 reached a maximum on November 14 at about 221 G.M.T., when the Earth's longitude was 52° 23′. The latter shower appears to have been decidedly stronger than the former, for at the richest time in 1901 various observers found the rate of appearance six or seven per minute. In 1903, during the half-hour when meteors were falling in most plentiful numbers, the rate, as determined under the best surrounding conditions, was about four per minute.

As usual in such displays the meteors came in bursts: two or three were frequently noticed at the same moment pursuing parallel flights in nearly the same region. During the most active period there were successive volleys of four, five, or six. At 16h 45m two bright flashing Leonids (one Jupiter, the other > Venus) were seen almost at the same instant: one crossed the head of Auriga at 8, the other left a streak for more than a minute on the fore paws of Leo between o Leonis and Hydra.

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I observed twenty-seven meteors during the night belonging to the numerous minor showers of the epoch. An exceedingly slow red meteor, of mag. 4, was recorded, at 15h 41m, struggling along a short arc from 219°+63° to 209°+611° in about three seconds. It very probably belonged to a long-enduring radiant at 262°+62° near Draconis. At 15h 59m an unusually slow streak-leaving meteor of mag. 2 traversed a long flight of 45° from 178° 19° to 223°+41° (approximately from 3 Leonis to B Bootis). Its visible course may have been even longer than this, for it sailed into my view from behind the corner of a house. The meteor was also seen by Mr. W. Parkinson at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich; by the Rev. S. J. Johnson at Bridport, Dorset; and by Mr. F. H. Wright, Northampton; and its radiant appears to have been low in the south-eastern sky at 1470-11°. A preliminary determination of the real path indicates the flight, as an extended one of 128 miles, from over Kent to Lincoln, at a height gradually descending from 91 to 45 miles. Velocity about 29 miles per second. At the end of its flight the meteor slowed up considerably, and became almost stationary, as though, its material being well nigh spent, the increasing pressure of the atmosphere had effectually retarded its further progress. Additional observations of this interesting object would be valuable. Its individuality of direction and slow, sailing flight over an extensive arc of the heavens must have caused it to arrest the special notice of many persons who were watching the Leonid shower.

on

Duple or multiple observations of several bright Leonids were obtained during the recent display, and the real paths of these will be computed. A 2nd mag. Leonid was seen November 15 13h 18m by Mr. C. L. Brook at Meltham, near Huddersfield, and also by the writer at Bristol. It fell from a height of 73 to 58 miles, along a path of 36 miles, at a velocity

of about 48 miles per second. The radiant was at 151°+24°. Mr. Brook has also calculated the real path, and makes the height 77 to 61 miles, length of course 34 miles, and velocity 45 miles per second.

For comparison with this and other similar results it may be useful to give the average heights, &c., of seventeen Leonids doubly observed in England during the last seven years.

Subjoined are the apparent paths of a few bright Leonids and of several other shooting stars recorded here during the recent display, and it would be interesting to have duplicate observations of any of these objects.

Fig. 1 exhibits the increase in the hourly number observed. This was due to two causes-viz. the much greater density of that part of the stream through which the Earth passed towards 18h and the improving position (higher altitude) of the radiant as the night progressed.

In fig. 2 the diffuse character of the radiant is shown by the intersecting lines of flight of a number of well-observed Leonids. In some cases the meteors appeared outside the limits of the diagram, but their paths have been carried backwards through the radiant.

Bishopston, Bristol: 1903 November 25.

Cape Double Star Results, 1903. By R. T. A. Innes. (Communicated by Sir David Gill, K.C.B., F.R.S., H.M. Astronomer.)

The observations in 1903 were confined to a few nights in February and March.

All the measures have been made with the Repsold micrometer on the 18-inch refractor. The assumed value of one revolution of the micrometer screw has been taken as 17"-600.

An explanation of the columns headed "Diff. of Mags." and "Colours" is given on p. 471 of the Monthly Notices for 1902 April, vol. lxii.

My measures of double stars with the above instrument extend altogether from 1899 November to 1903 March, and are now brought to a close by my transfer to the Transvaal. My thanks are due to Sir David Gill for his constant encouragement and help, and for the clerical assistance placed at my disposal. The work was greatly facilitated by the mechanical conveniences of the McClean Observatory, the rising floor in particular being of the utmost value for double-star work.