906 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [DeC, 



silicate of iron in forms exactly duplicating the first and third forms of 

 the magnetite above specified; that is, in films and adhering to sand 

 grains. This material was at first thought to be magnetite on account 

 of its exact similarity in appearance, except that it was of rather a 

 darker color. But it was distinguished from magnetite by observing 

 its almost complete indifference to the magnet. Analysis confirms 

 this fact, and these blackish scales leave a snow-white skeleton of gela- 

 tinous silica of the shape and size of the original fragment on prolonged 

 boiling in hydrochloric acid. 



It is supposed that this material was formed when the fused mag- 

 netite and silica from the powdered rock were mixed together at a heat 

 sufficient to cause combination. Both these forms contain but a very 

 small proportion of nickel, and as they both occur below the water 

 level in the silica it is probable that the greater portion of the nickel 

 has been leached out of them, on account of the greater solubility of 

 the nickel oxide and the extreme fineness of subdivision of the material. 

 Third, there has been found among the filling material in a few localities, 

 but much more sparingly than the magnetite or the silicate of iron, 

 small round globules of metallic iron surrounded by an envelope of 

 magnetite. These small globules range from one-twenty-fifth to one- 

 fiftieth of an inch in diameter. While it is conceivable that silicate of 

 iron and magnetite might occur in the wreck of terrestrial strata of the 

 character found in this locality, it is extremely improbable, because 

 there is no trace of any of this material in the unpulverized rock form- 

 ing the strata in question. But it is absolutely inconceivable that these 

 little metallic spheres with their coating of magnetite could exist in 

 any sedimentary strata, such as alone occur in this locality. Small 

 particles of terrestrial metallic iron have, as is well known, been found 

 in certain localities, but not in rock of this nature. And they could 

 not have resisted complete oxidation if the original rock in which they 

 were found had been weathered away and its material sul^sequently 

 formed into sandstone. Moreover, if they had resisted such complete 

 oxidation, the coating which would form around them would be ordi- 

 nary hydrated sesquioxide of iron and could not be magnetite. And 

 also such metallic iron as has been found in terrestrial strata has always 

 been found in strongly basic rocks. "Whereas the rocks in this locality 

 are extremely acid, in fact almost pure silica. 



Two other remarkable phenomena have been noted in the water 

 pumped from these bore holes. This water is clear and without taste 

 or odor, but it contains a small amount of flocculent gelatinous silica 

 floating in it. Also in several places, and it was noted that these places 



