" ON FLUID CAVITIES IN METEORITES." 183 



Upata quartzite I have placed on the table presents an identical 

 appearance to that possessed by the so-called meteorite. ■ 



After reading Mr. Hensoldt's paper, I was for months under 

 the impression — misled by various circumstances — that some 

 meteorites contained fluid cavities with moving bubbles. But I 

 soon became conscious of my error upon acquiring accurate in- 

 formation ; hence this communication. 



I would also call attention to the fact that Mr. Hensoldt 

 omitted to state in his paper, that the authorities of the British 

 Museum, after examining, not only a section but also a portion of 

 the specimen itself, informed him in December, 1880 — eight 

 months. before the paper was read — " that the so-called ' Braunfels 

 meteorite ' had none of the characteristics of a meteorite, but had 

 those of a quartzite ; that no one was likely to accept it as a 

 meteorite ; that the enclosed mineral was quartz ; that the en- 

 closed fluid was probably water ; and that the enclosing substance 

 was very probably oxide of iron." 



Dr. Sorby writes — " I have examined in a superficial manner 

 one of the specimens . . . and my strong belief is that the 

 clear grains in which they (the fluid cavities) occur are quartz, 

 and that the specimen is no meteorite." 



As the authorities above quoted are unanimously of opinion that 

 the transparent mineral is quartz, it only remains for Mr. Hensoldt 

 to prove his assertion — " The transparent material I have found to 

 be a silicate of the Phenacite group, and closely resembling phenacite 

 in all its characteristics." * If he can prove this he has added, not 

 only a new mineral, but a new element (glucinum) to meteorites. 



Professor Judd states — " The minerals which occur in 

 meteorites are in every case such as are found in the more basic 

 volcanic rocks — quartz, and the acid felspars, the other minerals 

 which occur in acid rocks, being entirely absent in the < extra- 

 terrestrial rocks.' "f 



Sections of the so-called Braunfels meteorite were sent to Dr. A. 

 Brezina, of the Imperial Museum, Vienna, but were returned by 

 him with a letter, in which he says "the substance is probably, 

 some furnace product, and has no resemblance to any meteorite 

 known." 



* " Journal of the Q. M. C," Vol. I, Series ii, No. 1, March 1882, 

 page 13. 

 f " Volcanoes," 2nd edition, page 317. 



