46 JOURNAL OF THE 



19. 



Nash Meteorite. 



Locality — Castalia, Nash county. Analyst — Smith. 



This meteorite fell May 14, 1874, at 2:30 P. M, near Castalia 

 (lat. 36° IV, long. 77° 50'). Its fall was accompanied l)y suc- 

 cessive explosions and rumbling noises, lasting about four min- 

 utes. The stones that fell must have exceeded a dozen or more — 

 three only were found and they gave evidence that the territory 

 over which the fragments fell was ten miles long by over three 

 miles wide. Although occurring in the day, the body appeared 

 luminous to some observers. The three stones found weighed 

 respectively, one kilogram, 800 grams and five and one-half kilo- 

 grams. 



The exterior coating was dull. The interior in many parts is 

 of a dark gray color, and in other parts quite light. The prin- 

 cipal cause of the dark color is, doubtless, the larger amount of 

 nickeliferous iron in that part. The specific gravity was 2.601. 



Its composition was 



Nickeliferous iron 15.21 



Stonv minerals. 84.79 



The nickeliferous iron consisted of 



Iron 92.12 



Nickel 6.20 



Cobalt 41 



Copper and phosphorus not estimated. 



The stony part, when treated with a mixture of hydrochloric 

 and nitric acids, gave: insoluble part, 47.02; soluble part, 52.98. 

 The former consisted of 



Silica 52.61 



Alumina 4 80 



Ferrous oxide. 13.21 



Magnesia 27.31 



Alkalies (soda, with traces of potash and lithia) 1.38 



99.31 



