of a new American Meteorite. 17 



and from a communication of Professor Cleaveland, which is 

 published in the American Journal of Science, vol. vii. p. 170; 

 this account he informs me was obtained at his request by a 

 gentleman of intelligence in a personal interview with Mr. 

 A. Dinsmore, who was at work near the place where the 

 aerolite struck. " Mr. Dinsmore's attention was excited by 

 hearing a noise which at first resembled the discharges of 

 platoons of soldiers, but became more rapid in succession. 

 The air was perfectly calm ; and the sky was clear, with the 

 exception of a small whitish cloud, apparently about forty 

 feet square, nearly in his zenith, from which the noise seemed 

 to proceed. After the explosion, this little cloud appeared to 

 be in rapid spiral motion downwards, as if about to fall on 

 him, and made a noise like a whirlwind among leaves. At 

 this moment, the stone fell among some sheep, which were 

 thereby much frightened, jumped, and ran into the woods. 

 This circumstance assisted Mr. D. in finding the spot where 

 the stone struck, which was about forty paces in front of the 

 place where he was standing. The aerolite penetrated the 

 earth about six inches, and there meeting another stone, was 

 broken into fragments. When first taken up, which was 

 about one hour after its fall, it exhaled a strong sulphureous 

 odour. The whole mass previous to its fracture probably 

 weighed between four and six pounds; other fragments of the 

 same meteoric stone are said to have been found several 

 miles distant from Nobleborough." — Amer. Jour. 



To the politeness of Dr. George Hay ward I am indebted 

 for a fragment of this meteor. 



Externally the specimen was in part covered with a thin 

 semivitrified crust or enamel of a black colour, the surface of 

 which was irregular and marked with numerous depressions, 

 presenting every appearance of having been subjected to in- 

 tense heat. The crust was hard, yielding \vith difficulty to 

 the knife. The quantity of this crust which the small frag- 

 ment I obtained afforded, was not sufficient to allow of any 

 separate analysis of it. 



The mass of the specimen had a light gray colour inter- 

 spersed with oblong spots of white, having the aspect of decom- 

 posed leucite, and giving it a porphyritic aspect. Through- 

 out the stone minute points of a yellow substance, resembling 

 olivine, were distributed, with microscopic points of a yellow 

 colour, which I imagine were sulphuretted iron. The cement 

 by which these substances were united was of an earthy aspect, 

 and soft texture, readily broken down by the fingers. The 

 general appearance of the mass was precisely like that of some 

 of the volcanic tuffas. 



Vol.63. No. 309. Jan. 1824. C The 



