Meteorology. 157 



what had reallv happened, they proceeded, followed by the peo- 

 ple and dii^ging up the spot, indicated by the broken surface and 

 fresh earth^and sand scattered round it, at the depth of about 

 five feet, in a soil of mingled sand and loam, they found the stone. 

 The Brahmins conveyed the slone to the village, where they com- 

 menced a Poosa, and, covering it with flowers, set on foot a sub- 

 scription for erecting a temple over it, not douhtmg that they 

 should soon turn it to a profitable account. The explosion was 

 heard to the distance of twentv-five mlies froir. Dooralla.— Major 

 Pennington, on hearing of the circumstance, wrote to Captain 

 Bird to endeavour to procure the stone; and the latter, on ap- 

 plication to the Rajah, found no difficulty in obtaining an order 

 for its removal. Indeed the Rajah seemed rather to consider 

 the stone as an omen of evil; for he gave special orders that it 

 should not approach his place of residence. It was earned to 

 Captain Bird, then at Lodiana (about eighty miles froip the place 

 where it fell), escorted bv a party of Brahmins and some Seik 

 horse It weighs rather more than twenty-five pounds, is co- 

 veredwith a thin black pellicle, is somewhat triangular, and ex- 

 hibits on a corner whence a piece has been broken off iron py- 

 ri'tes and nickel. While it remained with Capt. Bird, the Brali- 

 mins in the neighbourhood went to his tent to pay adoration to 

 it ; nor would any Hindoo venture to approach it but with closed 

 hands in apparent devotion." , , , . , 



A very singular meteoric substance has lately been recognised 

 in the Museum of M. Von Grotthuss, of Curland. It is distm- 

 cuislied in Germany bv the name Mourning paper. According 

 to the Ephemeris of the Leopold Academy, it fell in great quan- 

 tities in Curland on the 31st of January I6S6. The specimen 

 found in M. Von Grotthuss's collection, and which was labelled 

 as of meteoric origin, consists of a mass of black leaves, like 

 burnt paper, but harder ; it coheres together, and is brittle. 

 When examined by chemical reagents, it was found to consist ot 

 silica, magnesia, iron, and some nickel, with traces of chromium. 

 Black substances like beans fell at the same time. 



An aerolite which fell ac Jonzac, ISlhof June 1819, has been 

 analysed by M. Laugicr, and gave 



Oxide of iron "JO"" 



Silica 46-0 



Alumina ^ " 



Lime 7;5 



Oxide of manganese ^ ° 



Magnesia J'^ 



5^ulp>»"- ".O 



Chrome __. 



102'4 T,,. 



