Report on Meteorites. AIT 
magnetic analysis. The most highly magnetic Sguents, (iron, 
nickel, cobalt, chromium, &c.,) or compounds in’ whic se 
| predominate, would thereby be separated, and become suspended 
in the form of metallic dust, forming those coltimnar clouds so 
a often illuminated in auroral displays, and whose position con- 
forms to the direction of the dipping needle. While certain of 
the diamagnetic elements, (or combinations of them,) on the 
| other hand, may under the control of the same force be collected 
| into different masses, taking up a position at ae angles to the 
former, (which Faraday has shown to be the fact in respect to 
such bodies,) and thus produce those more or less regular arches, 
transverse to the magnetic meridian, that are often recognized 
in the phenomena of ‘the aurora borealis: 
Any great disturbance of the forces maintaining these clouds 
of meteor-dust, like that produced by a magnetic storm, mig 
lead to the precipitation of portions of the matter thus suspended. 
If the disturbance was confined to the magnetic dust, iron-masses 
would fall ; if to the diamagnetic dust, a non-ferruginous stone ; 
if it should extend to both classes simultaneously, a blending of 
the two characters would ensue in the precipitate, and a rain of 
ordinary meteoric stones would take place. 
As favoring this view, We, are struck with the rounded, hail- 
stone-like form of many of the See of comporeed (even 
paar >positor' 
Szcoxp Pin VI, No. 18, Nov., 1848. 54 
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