' * SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 233 



I am inclined to think, that the luminous smoke arise* From sulphur 

 from sulphur driven up in the first state of combustion. For ^c^ustioh* 

 sulphur, like phosphorus, may be burned with two kinds 

 of flame, the 6rst not visible in day-light, at less than 300°, 

 as I conjecture, and not capable of setting fire to the small- 

 est thread or vegetable fibre, and the latter much brighter, 

 and generally known, 



W.N. 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS, 



il HE Russian minister for the home department has com- Meteoric 

 municated to the Imperial Academy of Petersburg the fol- g^*°*g> 

 lowing account of a meteoric stone, weighing about 160 lbs, 1907. 

 that fell in the circle of Ichnow, in the government of Smo- 

 lensko. 



In the afternoon of the 13th of March, 1807, a very vio- 

 lent clap of thunder was heard in that district. Two pea- 

 sants in the village of Timochim, being in the fields at the 

 time, say, that at the instant of this tremendous report they 

 saw a large black stone fall about forty paces from them. 

 They were stunned for a few minutes, but, as soon as they 

 recovered themselves, ran toward the place where the stone 

 fell. They could not discover it however, it had penetrated 

 so deep into the snow. On their report several persons went 

 to the spot, and got out the stone, which was above two feet 

 beneath the surface of the snow. It was of an oblong shape, 

 blackish like cast iron, very smooth on all parts, and on one 

 side resembling a coffin. On its flat surfaces were very fine 

 radii resembling brass wire. Its fracture was of an ashen 

 gray. Iking conveyed to the gymnasium of Smolensko, a 

 professor of natural philosophy there considered it at once 

 as ferruginous, from the simple observation of its being ex- 

 tremely friable, and staining the lingers. The particles of 



which 



