Natural History. 395 
process of analyses is'then described. A portion of the large mass 
yielded ‘ 
Oxide ofiron . 1.17 1 ee 91.41 
Oxide of nickel 0.15 ” Nickel . 8.59 
100.00 
Some of the other fragments were then examined. ‘* We com- 
menced with a mass weighing 681 grammes (10,517 gr.) discovered 
in 1810, near Santa Rosa. It was malleable, but difficult to file. Its’ 
lustre was silvery ; its grain fine like that of steel; it forged very well 
but was red short ; its specific gravity 7.6 ; it gave, 
Oxide of iron , 9.46 Tron 91.23 
Oxide of nickel 0.75 or Nickel 8.21 
Insoluble in nitric acid 0.02 Residuum 0.28 
99.72 
The insoluble portion was difficultly acted upon by hot nitro-muri- 
atic acid ; it appeared to be a compound of nickel, iron, and perhaps 
a little chromium. 
Another fragment of 561 gram. (8664 gr.) found at the same time 
near Santa Rosa, was cellular, very hard to the file, but malleable, of 
a silvery aspect, and a fracture resembling that of tilted cast-steel ; it 
gave, 
Oxide ofiron . 2.62 Tron 91.76 
Oxide of nickel . 0.16 “ Nickel 6.36 
98. 12 
We have also ascertained the presence of nickel in a Bred num- 
ber of other fragments, collected at the same time near Santa Rosa, the 
weight of the largest being 145 grammes (2229 grs.) But itis not there 
only that metallic iron has been found ; it has also been discovered at 
a village called Rasgata, i in the neighbourhood of the salt-works of 
Zipaguira, lat, 4° 57’, long. 76° 33° west of Paris, and 2650 metres 
(8694 feet) above the need of the sea. We saw one mass in the 
hands of M. Geronimo Torres weighing 41 kilogrammes ( Ibs.) 
We could perceive no cavity in it ; its texture exhibited small facets; 
it was very hard to the file, was malleable, of a silvery lustre, and a 
specific gravity of 7.6 ; it gave, 
Oxideofiron . 5,23 «ss Iron. 90.76 
Oxide of nickel . 0.40 Nickel . 7.87 
98.63 
Another mass weighing 22 kilogrammes (90.5 lbs.), which was, 
shewn us at the same place, was nearly spherical, and contained 
many cavities. It was very malleable, and its fracture had a silvery 
lustre. We found from seven to eight per cent. of nickel in itx—dnn. 
de Chim, xxv. 438, 
4, Natural Ice Caves.—1n a memoir on some natural ice caves, read 
