MUSEUM METEORITES—HONEYMAN, 127 
a sort of ricochet was possible. Note—The fall of May 14th, 
1864, of Argeuil. Tarn et Garonne appears to furnish an 
example of this sort of trajectory as I have shown. Compt. 
rend. Sceance du May, 1864, vol. lviii., p. 177. 
“These wandering masses could themselves be only fragments 
of planetary bodies, shattered at epochs undetermined and _per- 
haps extremely remote. 
Be it as it may with the preceding suppositions, it appears 
certain that these masses, when circulating in space, do not at all 
possess an elevated temperature. By their entering into our 
atmosphere they acquire a sudden incandescence, which, without 
doubt, makes them break in pieces, but which, in wholly vitri- 
fying their surface, does not at all modify the interior of the 
pieces. This, then, represents the state of the mass such as it 
was in space and up to a certain point, and consequently the state 
of the planetary bodies, of which these fragments are specimens. 
To study these specimens in a profound manner, is, then, to 
prepare certain landmarks (jalons), so full of interest, of the 
history of these planetary bodies. 
III. Conclusions relative to the mode of formation of the ter- 
restrial globe. The terrestrial rocks which are analogous to the 
meteorites, are eruptive masses of a basic nature, e. g., basalts, 
which have come from depths inferior to the granites. 
Importance of the magnesian rocks of the “peridot type” as 
well, in the terrestrial globe as in our planetary system. 
Among the basic silicates, there is one which presents itself 
with a remarkable constancy in almost all the variety of meteor- 
ites from lefers to lepierres properly so called, i.e., peridot. It is 
seldom alone (Chassigny) ; ordinarily it is mixed with silicates, 
more acid often in parts undiscernible.” Note.—In more than 
150 falls represented in the collections examined we have only 
four which belong to the “aluminous type” as Jovinas, Jonzac. 
Stannern and Petersburg, U.S., the others are magnesian meteor- 
ites, which almost all include peridot.” 
On the other hand, the peridot necessarily exists in the depths 
of our globe. Indeed, the basalts of countries the most distant 
carry fragments (?) of it, often angular, and, as one would say, 
