THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 15 



Thofuud of a foreigner intended for the "increase and diffasion of knowledge 

 among men " should not bo absorbed in local objects and in doing that which 

 the Government should in honor and good faith do itself. 



The Institution, if relieved of the charge of the show museum, would devote 

 its energies in the way of advancing natural history by instituting original 

 explorations in all parts of the world, making collections and distributing 

 duplicates to aJl other museums. 



1)i[efeoh'le3. 



In the Museum hall may be seen a meteorite, from Northern Mexico, which 

 weighs 250 pounds. 



It was brought to this country by Lieutenant Couch, of the United States 

 Army, he having obtained it at Saltillo. It was said to have come from the Sancha 

 estate, some fifty or sixty miles from Santa Rosa, in the north of Coahuila , 

 various accounts were given of the precise locality, but none seemed very satisfac- 

 tory. When first seen by Lieutenant Couch, it was used as an anvil, and had 

 been originally intended for the Society of Geography and Statistics in the city of 

 Mexico. It is said, that where this mass was found there are many others of 

 enormous size ; but such stories, however, are to be received with many allow- 

 ances. Mr. Weidner, of the mines of Freiberg, states, that near the southwestern 

 edge of the Balson de Mapimi, on the route to the mines of Parral, there is a 

 meteorite near the road of not less than a ton weight. Lieutenant Couch also 

 states, that the intelligent, but almost unknown. Dr. Berlandier, writes in his 

 journal of the Commission of Limits, that at the hacienda of Venagas, there was 

 C1827) a piece of iron that would make a cylinder one yard in length, with a 

 diameter of ten inches. It was said to have been brought from the mountains 

 near the hacienda. It presented no crystalline structure, and was quite ductile. 

 Another Meteorite to be seen here is still more curious and interesting, from 

 its remarkable size and appearance. It is in the shape of a ring much heavier 

 on one side. Its greatest exterior diameter is 49 inches ; the least 38 inches ; 

 width of central opening 23 inches; width of thickest part of the ring 17^ 

 inches. It weighs 1400 lbs. Its composition is principally of iron. It was 

 discovered in Sonora by Jesuit missionaries, brought to Tucson in Arizona, 

 and was sent, through the influence of Dr. Irwin, U. S. A., by Mr. Augustine 

 Ainsa, to Herraosillo. In May, 1863, Mr. Jesus Ainsa brought it to San 

 Francisco, and shipped it to the Smithsonian Institution- 



