uhich fell from the Clouds near Ville-Frandie, 221 



i have here given, and of the certainty of the fact in ques- 

 tion. 



*' Some time agO) when conversing on the subject of this 

 phaenomenon with professor Pictct, he recollected that at the 

 same period he and a number of the inhabitants of Geneva 

 and the neighbouring towns, as far as Berne, liad observed a 

 luminous bodv u hich suddcnlv appeared in the southern re- 

 gions, proceeding rapidly from east to west. This phaeno^ 

 menon at that time was considered to be a meteor ; but he is 

 po fully persuaded that this body is the same which fell at 

 Sales, that he has given me permission to quote his tcstimonv*. 



*' To these circumstances I shall join a description of the 

 characters of this mineral substance, in regard to the point 

 of view in which they ought to be considered by a minera- 

 logist ; and I shall give the result of the analysis of it made 

 by Vauquelin, member of the Institute. 



*' Its colour in the inside is an ash-gray formed by a 

 mixture of whitish parts interspersed with black metallic 

 points. 



" Its texture is gravellv, and the substances, of which 

 I am about to speak, arc disseminated in it, as octaedral 

 iron and sulphuret of iron are in the amphibolic steatites 

 of Corsica, hcc. 



" Humidity does not communicate to it an argillaceous 

 odour. 



" The following are the substances found disseminated 

 throughout the mass of this stone. The first is malleable 

 iron in grains which readily rust, and which vary in size 

 from an almost imperceptible point to a line in diameter, 

 and even to the weight of twenty-four grains. 



" 'I'hese grains of iron are malleable, soluble, and sus- 

 ceptible of attraction by the maiinet. They, however, differ 

 from forged iron in havino; a v\hiter aspect and less ducti- 

 lity ; in being a little oxidated, and containing nickel, as is 

 found by analysis. Those placed in the centre of the mass 

 are in the same state as those found at the surface. 



* I have a perfect recolltxtiiin np the appearance of this meteor. Its 

 light WHS cxcccdinijly bnght, and its moiion so rapid, thnr it was seen 

 only for a ftw seconds, during wiiich it clirtl'scd tiirougliout th.e whole 

 town an alarmiitj^ 'ighr, tliough ir passed at the distance of more than 

 tw«iity leagues to the sciuii. Its direction, acc'jn'ir.g to csiiniation, wa$ 

 fireciely lowauls (he quarer in which it fell. JVJylcariu.il colleague, 

 profestor 1'ri.vost, cnibractci rhii opportunity <if presenting lo the Physical 

 Society established at Geneva a very intercatin^ memoir on the iu/ijfs or 

 fire-balls, in which he collected conviderations respecting the supposed 

 niagnitudc, diitance, and velocity of ilietc iiiceois, which willcxcitclcst 

 surprise at present than tJicy did at tliat period. — J^ilc oj Jiiofascr P'irtet. 



"The 



