274 METEOKS AND AEROLITES. 



oblique to the horizon.* The convictions of a man like Biot, 

 founded on personal investigation, may be fairly admitted as 

 another epoch in the history of aerolites. 



The striking concurrence of such instances with' those of 

 more ancient tradition overcame all remaining doubt ; and 

 when Chladni published his second and more valuable work 

 in 1819, with a copious record of aerolites, registered ac- 

 cording to the periods and places of their fall as well as the 

 direction of their lines of descent, his statements were received 

 with entire assent by the scientific world.f His details had 

 the effect not only of authenticating the fall of such stones 

 from the sky, but further, of assigning a meteoric character to 

 certain strange ferruginous masses found in different countries, 

 regarding which only vague traditions existed, or which had 

 no history at all but that of their outward aspect. These 

 masses, some of them of vast weight and dimensions, and 

 manifestly foreign to the localities in which they are found, 

 have enough of kindred with aerolites to justify the name 

 of meteoric iron, and to make it probable that they are of 

 common origin. The largest yet known is one estimated to 

 weigh about 14,000 Ibs. discovered at Otumpa,in Brazil, in a 

 locality where there is no iron, nor rock of any kind near the 

 surface. Another, little inferior in size, has been found near 

 Bahia. A smaller mass, but nearer to us, is that from the 



* This was ingeniously determined by observing the outline of the surface 

 upon which the fall occurred found to be elliptical, and not circular, as it 

 would have been had they dropped vertically. The meteor was circular, large, 

 and brilliant and explosions were heard over a wide tract of country. The 

 stones were hot, and exhaled a strong sulphurous smell. 



f The total number of aerolites which Chladni has registered from the com- 

 mencement of the Christian era to 1818 is 165, but some of these must be re- 

 garded as doubtful. The distribution of them by countries is chiefly of value 

 as showing, what might have been expected, the universality of the phenomena 

 over the earth. From 1600 to 1818 we have the record of 17 in Great Britain, 

 15 in France, 17 in Germany. As to the hours of falling, a large proportion 

 are registered as having fallen during the day ; but this difference is readily 

 accounted for, and does not justify an inference as to inequality in the event. 



