Now a _single_ case of such a coincidence as that pointed out by Schiaparelli might possibly be accidental, but hardly _two_. Then five years later in 1872 came the meteoric shower of the Bielids, the disintegrated particles following in the track of Biela’s comet, and since then scores of meteor streams have been apparently detected with “a comet annexed,” firmly establishing the theory regarding the connection between comets and meteor streams as a well-proved fact. The longer a comet has been in the solar system, the more widely scattered will be its accompanying meteor stream. According to this theory, the Perseids which are scattered more or less uniformly along their orbit of enormous extent ranging far beyond the orbit of the outermost planet Neptune, are undoubtedly old inhabitants of the solar system. The Leonids, on the contrary, are comparatively newcomers introduced into the solar system (according to the calculations of Leverrier, and admitting the capture theory, though the ejection theory is far more plausible), in A.D. 126, when Tempel’s comet, of which they formed part, passed very near Uranus. Since the mystery regarding these celestial wanderers has been cleared, it might almost seem as if every comet of distinction had its own special host of meteoric attendants following closely in its wake, their number constantly increased by the addition of discarded fragments forming the train of the comet at each visit paid by it to the sun. The following is a list compiled by Mr. W. F. Denning of the chief meteoric displays of the year. ══════════════╤════════════════╤═══════════╤═══════════════════════════ _Name of │ _Date of │ _Radiant │ _Appearance of meteors_ shower_ │ maximum_ │ point_ │ ──────────────┼────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────────────────── │ │ R.A. Dcl. │ Quadrantids │January 3 │ 230° + 52°│Slowish, long paths Lyrids │April 21 │ 270° + 33°│Swift, streaks η Aquarids │May 2–6 │ 338° − 2°│Swift, very long paths Draconids │June 28 │ 228° + 54°│Very slow, short paths δ Aquarids │July 28–30 │339° − 120°│Slow, long paths α Capricornids│July 25-August 4│ 303° − 10°│Very slow, brilliant, long Perseids │August 11 │ 45° + 57°│Swift, streaks Orionids │October 19 │ 92° + 15°│Swift, streaks Leonids │November 14–15 │ 151° + 23°│Very swift, streaks Andromedids │November 17–27 │ 25° + 44°│Very slow, short, trained Geminids │December 11–12 │ 110° + 33°│Swift, white, short paths ──────────────┴────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────────────────── The _Lyrids_ are connected with Comet 1861 I, having a period of about 415 years. The _Perseids_ are connected with Comet 1862 III, having a period of about 120 years. The _Leonids_ are connected with Comet 1866 I, having a period of 33⅓ years.