380 
read the following note from Major Sabine, respecting a 
similar body which has been examined and described by 
M. Ehrenberg. ' 
**In the year 1686, some workmen who had been fetch- 
ing water from a pond seven German miles from Memel, 
on returning to their work after dinner, (during which there 
had been a snow storm,) found the flat ground around 
the pond covered with a coal-black, leafy, or paper-like 
mass; and a person, who lived near, said he had seen it 
fall like flakes with the snow. On examination, some of 
the pieces were found to be as large.as a table, and were 
lying upon each other to the depth of the thickness of a 
finger. The mass was damp and smelt disagreeably, like 
rotten seaweed ; but when dried the smell went off. It tore 
fibrously like paper. Specimens were preserved in several 
collections, where it was known by the name of Meteor-paper, 
and by many was actually supposed to be a meteoric body. 
It has been recently examined by M. Ehrenberg, and found 
to consist partly of vegetable matter, chiefly conferva cris- 
pata, (common in Germany,) and partly of tnfusoria, of 
which M. Ehrenberg was able to recognise twenty-nine 
species. Of these, eight species have siliceous coverings, 
but the others, which are equally well preserved, were 
soft-skinned animals; most of them are known as species 
now existing. 
‘** The Meteor-paper, therefore, as it has been called, was 
formed in marshy places; had been raised into the air by 
storms of wind ; and had again fallen. 
‘Substances of the same nature have been found in Nor- 
way, in Silesia, and in the Erz Mountains. In some instances 
they are described as leathery ; m others as resembling wad- 
ding, and being white on the upper side and green beneath. 
They have probably all a similar origin.” 
Mr. Lloyd also laid on the table of the Academy a spe- 
cimen of a very similar substance, which he had received 
