44 MM. Steininger, Nceggeratli, a«(/ Clilatlni 



oxide in muriatic acid, and added prussiate of potash to the so- 

 lution, whereby I obtained the same residt as is obtained from 

 the ferriferous oxide of manganese of Wadern, under similar 

 circumstances ; viz. a white precipitate is formed slightly of a 

 prussian-blue tint, yet so that tlie white substance may be di- 

 stinguished as the precipitate of the solution, which is at first 

 of a greenish, and afterwards of a dark bhie colour, and con- 

 tinues so distinguished till it is mixed with the rest by a con- 

 tinued stirring; at the same time pellicles of a purple violet 

 show themselves on the surface of the blue liquor. I enter- 

 tain, therefore, no doubt but that the meteoric mass of Bitburg 

 contains manganese. 



'• I could, however, discover neither lime nor magnesia in 

 the solution of the meteoric mass, freed from oxide of iron. 

 It appears therefore that metallic oxides only constitute the 

 scoria mixed with it. 



" Thus the mass of Bitburg would appear to consist of iron, 

 manganese, nickel (cobalt ?), and sulphur, with a considerable 

 intermixture of grains of (juartz. 



" Would it not appear from the latter constituent that the 

 mass in falling to the ground was in a state of fusion, and be- 

 came mixed with those grains of quartz on the surface only." 



Thus far M. Steininger. — On exhibiting the fragment of 

 the Bitburg iron to Dr. Noeggerath, during my residence in 

 Bonn, he was kind enough to communicate to me the fol- 

 lowing observations for publication. 



" There can be no doubt of the genuineness of the frag- 

 ment of meteoric iron received by my friend Dr. Chladni 

 from M. Steininger, of Treves, even with respect to the spot 

 where it is said to have been found : since it came from Dr. 

 Schmitz at Hillesheim, the same gentleman from whom I re- 

 ceived, in 1814, the first verbal account of the existence of 

 this mass near Bitburg. 



" The rough condition of the fragment shows that the mass 

 had been filled with cavities; a circumstance which may also 

 have caused the comparatively low specific gravity of 6*1 4, 

 mentioned by M. Steininger. 



" The melted mass, although still porous, according to 

 the experiment made by Professor Bischof and myself, has a 

 specific gravity of 6*859. The irregular cavities formed by a 

 less perfect ramose form than in the Siberian meteoric iron, 

 show on their surface but few shining metallic points, on 

 which the pure metallic mass appears ; most of it is black, in 

 part rough and dull, or smooth and of the ordinary lustre. The 

 surfaces of the cavities combine the character of the crystalline 

 with that of the melted substance. One may distinctly per- 

 ceive 



