68 THE SIDEROLITES AND PALLASITES. 



The term siderolite, or rather aero-siderolite was proposed by Professor 

 N. Story Maskelyne, for the meteorites to which Gustav Rose had previously 

 given the name pallasite. Rose afterwards divided his palhisites, retaining 

 the original term for all, except two specimens, which he classed as mesosi- 

 derites. These Maskelyne united again, but instead of using the term pal- 

 lasite for all, proposed the name above given. The name pallasite belongs 

 by prior right to these forms, while siderolite does not ; therefore, I trust 

 Prof Maskelyne will permit the transference of his term siderolite, as his 

 own, from the j)allasites to the forms that I have herein classed under the 

 former name. It is impracticable to use the term skJerife — long ago pro- 

 posed by Shepard — on account of the well known mineral of the same 

 name. The term Jiolosidcrite, proposed by Danbree, is too inaccurate, since 

 the majority of the specimens are not wholly iron. 



Siderolite (o-t'Sr^pos, Xt^o?) — a stone of iron, or an iron rock — seems to 

 answer better than any other term for the specimens I have included under 

 it here, and if the transference is permitted it will save the introduction of a 

 new name.* 



Section II. — Pallasite. 



This name was first given by Gustav Rose to a class of meteorites, of 

 which he made the olivine iron rock of Krasnojarsk, Siberifi, described by 

 Pallas in 1776, the type. Later, Rose separated this group into two divis- 

 ions — pallasite and mesosiderite — the latter comprising two specimens 

 only.t 



The writer proposes to restore the term to its original use ; and in addi- 

 tion, to place under it a few other meteorites and those terrestrial rocks that 

 have a similar composition and structure. As in the case of siderolite, it is 

 not intended to include any vein stones, but only original and eruptive 

 rocks of this character and their derivatives. 



Of this group or species there will he given, first, descriptions of those 

 nearest the siderolites in structure and composition, passing then to those 

 nearer and nearer allied to the succeeding species — peridotite. 



* Maskelyne, Phil. Ma.5.,lS63 (4.), xxv. 49; Eose, Mouatsber. Berlin Akud., 1S62, pp. 551-55S; 1S03, 

 pp. 30-3i ; Shepard, Anicr. Jour. Soi., 1867 (2), xliii. 22-28. 



t Mouatsber. Berlin Akad.,18G2, pp. 551-558; 1S63, pp. 30-3i; Abh. Berlin Akad., 1863, pp. 23-161. 



