354 Prof. B. Silliman, Jr. J s Description 



described above. I am well aware that it is an easy thing to be 

 deceived, but sure I am that if mistaken in this instance, no man 

 will be able to undeceive me. The pieces which broke out by 

 the fall I gave to Rev. William H. Ryder, now of Nashua, N. H., 

 about three years since. I have often exhibited the stone and 



manne r 



jj # # # * 



by which I became possessed of it. There 

 has never been any published account of it. 



Accompanying this letter, I received the specimen in ques- 

 tion, which if a meteorite, (as I have now no doubt,) can 

 claim the distinction of be- 

 ing one of the smallest of 

 these celestial fragments, 

 which has yet reached our 

 earth. The accompanying 

 figure is a correct delineation 

 and of the exact size. Some 

 small fragments have been 

 detached but the main por- 

 tion weighs only 370£ grains. 



Physical Description. — Its external surface is every where 

 glazed with a brilliant enamel of a grayish white, with occasional 

 patches of deep brown metallic stains. The glazing is found also 

 on the cracked and broken surfaces which penetrate deeply into 

 the mass. The interior is scoriaceous like the frit produced by the 

 partial fusion of feldspar, blown up with extremely minute vesi- 

 cles and occasional larger bubbles. The porous character of 

 the mass rendered it impossible to procure a satisfactory determin- 

 ation of its density. Its hardness is about 6 5, and it easily 

 scratches feldspar. The larger part of this stone is quite white 

 in color and the fracture has a vitreous lustre. It has no dark 

 colored crust, similar to that which is so characteristic of most 

 meteoric stones, which is owing to the absence of metallic oxyds 

 in its composition, the surface enamel which has been already 

 mentioned, being for this reason without color, excepting in a few 

 spots. The whole stone bears every mark of having been in- 

 tensely heated. The portions which have the iron stain, are 

 small, and the most careful search with a powerful eye-glass de- 

 tected no metallic points; nor did the magnet attract the nu- 

 nutest particles. 



The blowpipe indicated the presence of silica, soda and mag- 

 nesia. It dissolved in carbonate of soda with effervescence, 

 forming a glass which was nearly opake on cooling. Alone W 

 platinum forceps it fused on the edges, and emitted a phosphores- 

 cent light, while the flame beyond the mineral was colored oi 

 clear soda yellow. In a close lube no escape of water or em\ >• 

 reumatic odor was perceived, and the mineral was unchanged y 

 heat. The bead produced by its fusion alone in the P lat1 ""' 



4X«.s» A • r ,.... J ...., *«iiip stall** 



and 



