ON A STONY METEORITE, WHICH FELL NEAR FELIX, 
PERRY COUNTY, ALABAMA, MAY 15, 1900. 
By George P. Merrill, 
Head Curator, Department of Geology. 
The meteorite here described fell about 11.30 a. m. on May 15, 1900, 
near Felix, Alabama. For the details concerning the fall, as well as 
for securing the specimen itself, the United States National Museum is 
indebted to Mr. J. W. Coleman, who visited the locality and obtained 
the statements of eyewitnesses. These statements, somewhat abridged, 
are as follows: 
Mr. Robert D. Sturdevant, a farmer of Augustin, Perry County, 
said that while at work in his cotton field his attention was attracted 
b}^ a loud rumbling noise sounding very much like thunder. It being 
a clear, cloudless daj', he immediately looked up and saw the meteor- 
ite directly overhead. There was one very loud report, followed by 
two lesser ones, the appearance being compared to that of "a big piece 
of red-hot iron being struck with a hammer, causing many sparks to 
fly in all directions. After the explosion the smaller pieces popping 
ofl' sounded much like a small stone or nail being* thrown with great 
force, making a humming or hissing noise. The meteor seemed to be 
passing from east to west." 
The main mass of the stone, weighing about 7 pounds, was subse- 
quently' brought by a colored boy to Mr. Sturdevant, who visited the 
localit}', about half a mile away, and found that in falling it had made 
a hole about 6 inches deep in the soft plowed ground. 
Mr. Robert S. Browning, who was on Mr. Sturdevant's place at the 
time of the fall, stated that, ' • There was a rumbling noise, followed by 
three loud reports much like thunder or a big gun.'' He compared 
the appearance of the meteorite to that of "a big shovel of red-hot 
coals being upset." 
]Mr. W. A. Kenan, of Benton, Alabama, some 25 miles from the place 
where the stone was found, stated that the report was heard in Selma, 
Proceedings U.S. National Museum, Vol. XXIV— No. 1249. 
Proc. N. M. vol. xxiv— 01 13 193 
