302 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION B. 



24*149 grammes, yielded 6*08 grammes magnetite, or 

 25" 13 per cent. 

 55. Serpentine. — Scotland. 28 grammes gave no magnetic 

 particles. 

 All the serpentines examined acted upon a common five- 

 inch magnetic needle, except Nos. 50, 53, and 55 ; 

 No. 47 from Tasmania, and 49 from New Caledonia, 

 were also distinctly polar. No nickel iron or awaruite 

 was found in any of the serpentines. 



Conclusion. 



As far as the foregoing experiments are concerned, they 

 show that in the specimens examined the magnetic properties 

 of Chrome Iron, Franklinite, Spinel, (iarnet, some Haema- 

 tites, and other minerals and rocks are due to the presence of 

 scattered particles of magnetite. In most cases the magnetic 

 separated portion was further tested chemically, and proved 

 to be magnetite, but it was not thought necessary to do this 

 in every case. The Pyrrhotine, however, appears to possess 

 inherent magnetic properties. 



15.— ON IRON RUST POSSESSING MAGNETIC 

 PROPERTIES. 



By A. LIVERSIDGE, M.A., F.R.S., Professor of Chemitti-y m the 

 Unimsity of Sydney. 



My attention was first drawn to this matter in January, 

 1889, when walking along the pier at Clifton Springs, Port 

 Arlington, Victoria, by noticing the large scales of rust 

 attached to the old tram rails, which had not been '\\\ use for 

 some years. On breaking off fragments I was much struck 

 by their resemblance to the crust seen on many metallic 

 meteorites. Some of the pieces were from a quarter to one- 

 third of an inch through, one to two inches wide, and three 

 to four inches long. Although retaining somewhat the form 

 of the original iron they were very brittle, and, on breaking 

 them across, the fracture had a slight resemblance to that 

 seen in some non-crystalline magnetites. Further, on 

 scraping the rust and breaking pieces off with a pocket- 

 knife, the dust and fragments were strongly attracted to the 

 blade which had been magnetised. I could see no traces of 

 pietallic iron, and felt sure that practically there were no 



