226 Mr ALLAN on a mass of Native Iron 



about half-way between the ocean and the volcanic range which 

 runs along the western edge of the great peninsula. 



Connected with, though independent of, this notice, I may 

 mention, that it is also to Mr WOODBINE PARISH that the Bri- 

 tish Museum is indebted for another remarkable mass of native 

 iron, presented some time ago in the name of that gentleman by 

 Sir H. DAVY. The history of it is unfortunately not given in de- 

 tail. It is considered by Mr PARISH to be the same mass de- 

 scribed in the Philosophical Transactions of 1788 by REUBAN DE 

 CELIS, which was found jn the province of Chaco Galamba. But 

 there is a great discrepancy in the weight. It is rather sur- 

 prising that no accurate description of this mass has as yet met 

 the eye of the public, although it is itself placed under its as- 

 pect on the steps of the great stair of the Museum. 



Since the Society last met, Dr TURNER has accomplished a 

 chemical examination of this mass, in which he has found nic- 

 kel, the admitted testimony of meteoric iron, and also traces of 

 cobalt . 



Examination of the Specimen presented to the Society by Mr AL- 

 LAN in the name of Mr WOODBINE PARISH, his Majesty's Con- 

 sul-General at Buenos Ay res. By Dr TURNER. 



Externally it has all the characters of meteoric iron. The 

 metal in the specimen is tough, of a whiter colour than common 

 iron, and is covered on most parts with a thin film of the oxide 

 of iron. The interstices contain olivine. 



The specific gravity of some clean fragments is 6'687 ; and 

 the density of a portion which has been forged into the form of 

 a nail, is 7'488. 



To ascertain if the specimen before the Society is analogous 

 to meteoric iron in composition, as well as in its appearance, 



