4 C. U. Shepard on Meteoric Iron from South Africa. 
browning, on being held for some time in the current of the gas. 
It dissolved without any remainder whatever, in nitro-hydrochlo- 
ric acid. 
The solution in hydrochloric acid was treated for some time 
with a current of sulphuretted hydrogen. The next day, a feeble 
cloudiness, of a yellowish brown color appeared in the liquid. It 
was transferred to a filter; and what remained upon it, after a 
thorough washing, was treated with strong nitric acid. A heavy 
powder was formed, and the clear liquid gave no blue color on 
the addition of ammonia. The powder was heated with carbon- 
ate of soda on charcoal before the blowpipe, and the charcoal 
crushed in a mortar. It gave globules which resembled tin. 
Twenty-five grs. of the iron were dissolved in nitro-hydrochloric 
acid, and precipitated by excess of ammonia. A deep blue liquid 
was obtained on filtration, This was — to the boiling 
point, and precipitated by excess of potassa. ‘The green hydrated 
oxyd of nickel, after Ee well washed and ignited, weighed 
2°04 grs., which equals 1-65 grs. of metallic nickel. It was tested 
for cobalt before the blowpipe, without affording any indication 
of its presence. 
The peroxyd of iron was ignited for half an hour in a plati- 
num crucible, with its weight of carbonate of soda. Water w 
boiled upon the fused mass, and after filtration and neutralization 
with nitric acid, the clear liquid was treated with solutions of 
hydrochlorate of ammonia and of sulphate of magnesia. An 
immediate precipitate of the phosphate of ammonia and magnesia 
was produced, proving that the peroxyd of iron had contained 
phosphoric acid. 
Having observed that the polished face on the mass gathered 
rust freely, i in one spot, though kept in a situation quite free from 
moisture, I was led to apply a piece of moistened turmeric paper 
to the oxydated region, when it immediately gave an alkaline 
reaction. ‘That this effect is not wholly ascribable to ammonia 
will I think appear from an experiment described at the end of 
this notice, upon meteoric iron from another locality. 
The following therefore is a summary of oat ewe obtained 
on a single apaiyes, of the Lion river meteoric 
Nickel, i 
Iron, with tr : ee 
Phosphor YS a te 
Sulphur, = “ be 93-30 
Tin, and 
Potassium ? 
6:70 
100-00 
