Meteoric Iron of Tecas and Lockport. 371 
portion which was removed was rendered quite smooth and level, 
and after being well polished, it- was washed with dilute nitric acid. 
The lines of crystallization at once made their appearance in the 
most beautiful manner. The action of the acid was continued 
until the lines were etched boldly enough, to take ink and give 
an impression. 'The mass was so imbedded in type metal as to 
be capable of passing the copper plate press, and the impressions 
were then taken, of which the accompanying plate is one. This 
mode of proceeding, causes the iron to record its own crystal- 
line character in the most faithful manner. \ This. crystalline 
structure of meteoric iron is found in mos¢ but not in all the spe- 
cimens of such iron which have been examined. Those who 
have seen the work of Schreibers* will remember the beautiful 
Structure of the Agram iron, and many others, developed by 
acids. The Alabama. meteoric iront has however no distinct 
crystalline structure. ‘The Columbia, South America, has very 
little; and the supposed meteoric iron from Oswego,t or Scriba, 
in New. York, has none. wae 
~ The Texas mass is a-magnet; its greater diameter is nearly 
inthe magnetic meridian, as it is now placed, and in this sit- 
uation it possesses true polarity. One of the artizans employed 
in finishing up the polished face, noticed that the filings of the 
iron arranged themselves on the face in lines parallel to the crys- 
talline planes, as if influenced by magnetic attraction. No large 
‘nasses of pyrites were observed in this mass, though so abun- 
dant in the Lockport iron. This mineral is however not entire- 
ly wanting in the Texas iron, as is shown by chemical examina- 
ton; and one or two small lumps of pyrites were encountered 
by the saw, in cutting the section before mentioned. ; 
Chlorine.—V ery soon after the section was made, both of its 
9pposite faces were observed to be bedewed with moisture. This 
Was washed off with distilled water and the washings tested for 
chlorine by nitrate of silvery with abundant evidence of the pres- 
ence of this element. This exudation soon ceased, and the chip- 
Pings of the iron examined by solution in pure nitric acid, and 
testing with nitrate of silver, gave no further evidence of the 
Presence of chlorine. We conclude therefore that this iron prob- 
200 
* Der Meteoreisen. t This Jour., lst. Ser., xxxiv, 332 
+ This Jour., Ist Ser., xl, 366. 
