aL ~ ——— en “<< NE | 
C. U. Shepard on Meteoric Iron from Cayuga Co., N.Y. 265 
torn asunder, in place of presenting a hackly fracture, leaves 
surfaces with pyramidal cavities and projections. fi 
_ Analysis. —The iron dissolved very slowly in cold hydrochlo- 
tic acid, attended by the extrication of hydrogen gas, along with 
which, sulphuretted hydrogen was occasionally evolved,—as be- 
came apparent by passing the gas through a solution of nitrate 
of silver. As the solution proceeded the surface of the iron be= 
came coated with a brownish flocculent matter, resembling some~ 
what the development of carbon on steel by nitric acid. These 
flocculi at length separated from the iron, collected into light 
coherent. masses, and floated about in the liquid,—discharging 
little bubbles of gas, and subsiding finally in masses of much 
diminished size to the bottom, where they rested upon the broken 
crystals of the shining white, metallic mineral, above referred to. 
As the solution proceeded very slowly, it was repeatedly quick- 
ened by a gentle heat, for half an hour at atime. Three days 
elapsed however, before the action of the hydrochloric acid was 
Completed upon 50 grains of the iron. A second fragment of 20 
ey Was treated in a similar manner, and with the same general 
result, 
Among the insoluble matter from the first fragment were found 
tWo very brilliant, black, octahedral crystals, whose weight to- 
ter was only 0-005 of a grain. They were unmagnetic. 
Each of them was measured by the reflective goniometer, and 
Clearly ascertained to be a regular octahedron. And as chromi- 
um was found in the acid solution of the iron, it cannot perhaps 
ceeded as an unauthorized ee ce to consider its 
ystals belonging to the species chromite, the more especiall 
this mineral sie decane been observed in meteorites, though 
ors which I have called dyslytite, and which besides ra eh 
Content of silicon, has iron, nickel, phosphorus, chromium 
carbon, in some unknown combination.* é 
Colored ) crystallized substance, whose weight was |: 
Iron, isa mineral which I believe to be undescribed, if not 
Wholly new. It mav have been seen before; but if so, it would 
‘pear to have been confounded with the foliated, metallic sub- 
a sy 
.* The gradual shrinki ‘ tter under the long continued action 
shrinking of this floeculent matter , 
7p the hydrochloric aald kitted with the escape of gas, suggested the idea, that 
hitrogen exists in these bodies, it might perbaps be detected here, as a solid, or 
nanrh a8 &@ pulverulent azotide of iron, nickel or metAm —— emg 
of eo 3 : by M. Schreetter (Ann. der Pharm, xxxvi, 
The same cre rents eons tide of chromi These eames 
t® decomposed by heat and by strong acids. 
