360 On Chlorine in Meteoric Iron. 
inches in length and of about one hundred and fifty pounds 
weight) was accidentally discovered buried in the mud, near the 
end of Long wharf in this harbor. It was supposed, from its ex- 
ternal aspect as well as the place in which it was found, that it 
must have been in the situation mentioned, for a long time. On 
fracturing it with a hammer, an internal structure was brought 
to view, so peculiar as to lead many persons to suspect that it was 
not cast-iron, notwithstanding its form and the two holes near 
each end, which generally characterize kentledge iron. It was 
taken to the’ hardware and iron store of Messrs. SHerman & 
Atwater, where, as Mr. Suerman now informs me, it was view- 
ed as a curiosity by great numbers of persons, many of whom 
did not appear to have been satisfied that it was iron, until the 
opinion of Mr. B. Situman, Jr. had been obtained upon the 
subject. In passing the store during the summer, my notice was 
also called to the subject by the store-keeper, who presented me 
with a fragment of the mass of at least fifteen pounds weight. 
I viewed it with interest at the time, solely because it afforded 
the marks of having suffered. an apparent change of molecular 
structure—the coarsely crystalline and foliated texture having, 
as I supposed, replaced that of the granular which! is common to 
cast-iron. . 
I detached a fragment of several ounces in weight from the 
mass, and took it with me to Charleston, where it was placed in 
my collection by the side of a specimen of meteoric iron from 
Buncombe, N. C. (the latter sealed up under glass). I observed 
in the winter, that the New Haven iron had begun to.assume the 
same deliquescent and efflorescing appearance as the undoubted 
chlorine-meteoric iron: but I postponed the examination for chlo- 
rine until my return here, where it might be conducted in a more 
satisfactory manner. On recurring to the original mass, my suI- _ 
prise was much increased at finding its surface in many places, -- 
nearly covered with spherical, blebby shells, (some of which were 
as large as peas,) exactly analogous to those which form on the 
ch or dized meteoric iron, Two or three of the globules were 
1ed and thrown into warm, distilled. water, the solution fil- 
id treated with nitrate of silver, whereupon an abundant 
ion of chloride of silverensued. I next detached pieces 
from parts of the mass more internal, and boiling 
obtain a similar precipitate of chlorine, though 
