prevalent Disorders, Sfc, mth Volcanic Emanations. 305 



Dr. Hermann relates that, in May, 1 728, a stone fell in 

 the presence of General Prince Peter Gortschakoff at Tscheroy, 

 between Kraiovo and Widdin, accompanied with hail and 

 a furious hurricane. Dr. Hermann analysed a specimen of 

 it, given him by M. A. V. Bachmetieff, which was received 

 by him from the prince. The result was, that it was found 

 to contain sulphate of lime, with traces of common salt, *isoater, 

 and an inflammable substance ; consequently it was muriacite 

 or anhydrite.* Hermann says it was surprising to see a by no 

 means common mineral as anhydrite, fall from the air at 

 Widdin, the nearest locality of that mineral being at the salt 

 mines of Wieliczka in Poland. The storm, therefore, he 

 thinks, must have brought it from Wieliczka.f The author 

 justly remarks, that this circumstance may elucidate the form- 

 ation of meteoric stones, especially as there are other ex- 

 amples, of which he quotes the meteorite of Juvenas, which 

 corresponds with the dolerite of Meissner, or lava from Ve- 

 suvius, and Stromeyer's discovery of nickel in the olivine 

 of the Vogelsgebirge, which is verified as the olivine of Ve- 

 suvius.J He says also, that, though no one can properly 

 say that iron is a regular compound of meteoric stones, yet 

 it may be introduced by electric polarity, through the friction 

 of the falling and projected stone. He quotes a volcanic 

 bomb from Vesuvius in 1830, which very readily attracted 

 the needle from its meridian, when 40 grains of it were mingled 

 with one third part of hydrogen gas and sulphuric acid, the 

 bomb containing traces of fused iron. {Bulletin de la Hoc, des 

 Natur, de Moscou, vol. v. p. 59 — 63.) The title of Dr. Her- 

 mann's paper in the Bulletin is, " Untersuchungen verschie- 

 dener in Russland gefallener meteorischer Substanzen von R. 

 Hermann." In addition to those here recorded, we may men- 

 tion that an aerolite fell at Bjelostock, in Russia, on Oct. 8. 

 1827, at 9-10 A. M. {Gaz. Geog., p. 238.) In the same year 

 fell a meteorite at Drake's Creek, 18 miles from Nashville, 

 Tennessee. 



The views of Dr. Hermann are borne out by the analysis 

 of an aerolite which fell near Richmond, in Virginia, on 

 June 4f. 1828. Both microscopic and chemical examination 

 proved it to be composed of mineral substances well known. 

 It contained the chrysolite, feldspar, phosphate of lime, me- 



* " Dass es auss schwefelsauren Kalke nij^t Spuren von Kochsalz, 

 Wasser und einer brennbaren Substanz bestand, mithin dichter Muriazit 

 oder Anhydrit war." Phillips gives Kiaproth's analysis : — lime 42, sulphuric 

 acid 56*5, muriate of soda 0*25. 



+ The height of Wieliczka above the sea is 102 feet. (Gruithuisen.) 



J: Olivine was found in the meteorite of Krasno-ougol, together with 

 oxidulated iron, and native iron. (See VI. 301., Sept. 9. 1829.) 



Vol. VII. —No. 40. x 



