FALLL~N ON THE KaRTIT. 155 



perfect condition ; one of which weighs feveral pounds, and 

 was fent to Mr. Greville by Mr. Pallas himfelf : on this ac- 

 count, therefore, I enjoy an advantage that many of the au- 

 thors who have fpoken of this iron probably wanted. 



One of thefe pieces has a cellular and ramified texture, ana- defcribed, cellu- 

 logous to that of fome very porous and light volcanic fcoria : Ia f' and r "j xed 

 this is the ufual texture of-ths fpecimens of this kind of iron, green tranfpa- 

 which are preferved in the various mineralogical collections in re "t matter. 

 Europe. When it is attentively examined, there may be per- 

 ceived in it, not only empty cells, but alfo impreffions or ca- 

 vities, of greater or lefs depth, and fometimes perfectly round, 

 which appear evidently to be the refult of the compreffion of 

 hard bodies, which were fituated there, and which, when 

 they came away, left the furface of thefe cavities quite fmooth, 

 and having the luftre of polifhed metal. Here and there, in 

 fome of thefe cavities, there remains a tranfparent fubftance, 

 of a yellowiih green colour, of which I (hall treat more parti- 

 cularly, when I come to the defcription of the fecond of the 

 fpecimens above mentioned. It is very clear, that (he cavi- 

 ties here fpoken of owe their exiflence to this tranfparent 

 fubftance ; and that the polifh of the cavities arifes merely 

 from the compreffion of the faid fubftance. and is the natural 

 confequence of its furface having been in perfect contact with 

 that of the iron. 



This iron is very malleable : it may be eafily cut with a This iron very 

 knife ; and may be as eafily flattened or extended by means ma ea e * 

 of a hammer. Its fpecific gravity is 6487 ; which, however, 

 is very much under that of iron which has been merely melted, 

 and has not been forged. The fpecific gravity of the native 

 iron of Bohemia, which is nearly as malleable and as eafy to 

 be cut, is ftill lefs : I found it not to exceed 6146. This low- 

 degree of gravity, appears to be owing partly to the oxidize- 

 ment of the furface of the iron, and partly to there being, in 

 the interior part of its fubftance, a number of fmall cavities, 

 which are often rendered vifible by fraeture, and which have 

 their furfaces alfo oxidized. The fracture of this iron, pre- Its fra&ure is 

 fents the fame mining and filvery white colour as the*common w ' 

 caft iron, known by the name of white caft iron ; but its grain 

 is much fmoother and finer : it is alfo much more malleable 

 when cold. Bergman fays that this iron is brittle, when 



heated to a red heat. I have frequently tried it in that ftate, bu t it is not 



.red-flwru 



