Chemical Science. 391 



These meteorolites contain not more than a fourth of the 

 quantity of nickel usually found in similar bodies. 



In 1817 M. Laugier published a memoir on the identity of the 

 origin of the native iron of Siberia and meteoric stones, and an- 

 nounced the presence of chromium and sulphur in that iron, as 

 well also as the presence of silica and magnesia. Since this he 

 has been anxious to ascertain whether other specimens of iron, 

 either presumed, or known, to be meteoric, exhibited the same 

 similarity as to the elements they contained with those of meteoric 

 stones. 



The two specimens of Polish iron were found in 1809, at Brahin, 

 in the district of Rziezyca-Minsk. It resembled the Siberian iron 

 in appearance; being full of cavities, covered internally with a yel- 

 lowish green vitreous substance: 100 parts of the blue variety 

 treated with muriatic acid, and the sulphuretted-hydrogen disen- 

 gaged passed into solution of lead, gave 12 of sulphuret equal to 

 1.75 sulphur. The acid solution heated, the iron peroxidized by 

 nitric acid, and precipitated by ammonia gave 120 parts, equal to 

 87.35 iron. The blue ammoniacal solution, heated until the free 

 ammonia was disengaged, was treated with caustic potash, which 

 threw down 7 parts of nickel, magnesia, and lime ; these were 

 heated with an excess of oxalic acid, and the oxalates thus 

 formed being digested in ammonia, the salt of nickel dissolved, 

 and from the solution 2.5 parts of protoxide were obtained : 

 the insoluble oxalates of magnesia and lime, being heated, and 

 acted upon by sulphuric acid, gave sulphate equal to 2.1 of mag- 

 nesia, and a little sulphate of lime. 



Seven and a half parts had been left undissolved by the muriatic 

 acid; these were of a yellowish white colour, and by calcination took 

 a rose tint; fused with potash, the alkali immediately became yellow, 

 and from the results were obtained 6.3 of silica and 0.5 of oxide of 

 chromium. 



Hence 100 parts of the Brahin iron contain 



Iron 87.35 



Silica 6.30 



Nickel 2.50 



Magnesia 2.10 



Sulphur 1.85 



Chromium 0.50 



100.60 

 So that this iron exactly resembled that from Siberia. 



The other variety of Brahin iron was white; and with the excep- 

 tion of chromium, Avhich could not be found in it, resembled the 

 former 100 parts gave 



