1816.] Geological Society. \ 46) 
of oxen were yoked to it; but they were not able to drag it along. 
It was, therefore, abandoned; and Mr. Morney still found it placed 
on the carriage. It was magnetic; had distinct north and south 
poles ; and was obviously crystallized in its texture. Its weight was 
estimated at about 14,000 Ibs. It was seven feet long, and four 
feet broad ; but its thickness was irregular. Mr. Morney estimated 
its solid contents at 2S cubic feet. From his experiments on the 
spot he considered it as iron, but thought that it gave indications of 
containing nickel. It rusted rather faster than common iron. 
At the same meeting a chemical examination of a specimen of 
this mass of iron by Dr. Wollaston, was read. His method of de-+ 
tecting the presence of nickel was this. He dissolved about —4, of 
a grain in nitric acid upon a watch-glass, evaporated to dryness, and 
added a drop of ammonia to dissolve the oxide of nickel. This 
sclution was drawn by means of a glass rod to alittle distance from 
the oxide of iron, anda drop of prussiate of potash added. The 
presence of nickel is detected by the milk-white colour that ensues. 
To determine the quantity of nickel he dissolved 50 gr. of the iron 
in nitro-muriatic acid, added an excess of ammonia, and then 
evaporated the solution nearly to dryness. Ammonia was digested 
~on the residue. A blue solution was obtained. This was saturated 
with sulphuric acid, evaporated to dryness, and the dry mass ex- 
posed to a heat sufficient to drive off the sulphate and muriate of 
ammonia. ‘The residue was re-dissolved in water, and crystallized. 
The crystals weighed 8 gr., indicating 2°93 gr. of nickel, or nearly 
four per cent. of that metal in the iron mass. 
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
March 15.—A notice on the beds of gravel in the neighbour- 
hood of Lichfield, by Mr. Arthur Aikin, was read. 
The principal object of this paper is to describe the state of de- 
composition exhibited by the rolled pebbles which occur in this 
gravel. They are all, except the quartz pebbles, more or less 
altered; but the chalcedonies in the form of concentric agates and 
of coralloidal agates, exhibit the most remarkable changes. In 
the farmer the chalcedonie zones are in many cases entirely con- 
verted into a white earth, while the nucleus of quartz remains un- 
touched: and in the latter the tubipores, being of quartz, remain, 
while the interstitial chalcedony has been in some cases totally, and 
others partially, removed. 
_ A paper on the paramoudra, a singular fossil body, «found in the 
chalk of the north of Ireland, by the Rev. W. Buckland, Prof. 
Min. Ox. M.G.S. was next read. The name paramoudra is. ap- 
plied by the inhabitants of Belfast to a fossil, which occurs in all 
the chalk pits between that place and Moira, and which has also 
been found at Whiuingham near Norwich; specimens from thence 
having been sent to the Sucicty four years ago by the late Dr. 
Reeve of Norwich. Its form is more or less that of an oblong 
yourd ; itiis composed of flint, and is the longest fossil that occurs 
