J. E. Willet on Meteoric Iron from Georgia. 331 
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Arr. XXXIV.—Description of Meteorite Iron from Putnam 
County, Georgia; by J. E. Wituxt, Professor in Mercer 
University, Geo. 
Tus interesting meteoric iron, the first that has been found in 
Georgia, was presented to Mercer University by John A. Cogburn, 
., in the fall of 1852. 
The circumstances of its discovery, as detailed by Mr. Cogburn, 
are briefly these. The iron was first observed by his overseer, in 
1839, in a field which had been cultivated for several years; but 
Was supposed to be the common black rock of that region. Mr. 
Cogburn first noticed it March, 1840, and, attempting to raise it 
from the ground, found it so heavy that he carried it to his black- 
smith shop to have it broken. Its weight, at that time, was 72 
pounds, and the mass was coated deeply with a brown, scaly 
crust. He attempted to break it upon an anvil, but could remove 
only the outside crust, including a large blister, the place of which 
is now indicated by a deep fissure. Finding it so untractable, 
he threw it out into his yard, where it lay neglected; until a 
knowledge of the fact Jed me to request him to send it to the 
University for examination. He states further, that he supposes 
itto have been originally buried, and brought to the surface of 
the earth by cultivation and the action of rains; that there is no 
tradition of its fall; and that no similar pieces have been found 
in the neighborhood. 
Its weight, when it was brought to the University, was about 
Sixty pounds. In shape, it represents a rude triangular pyramid, 
With its base and edges rounded, and its faces exposing many 
knobs and depressions. 
Most of the crust has been removed by the rough handling 
which it has received. The outer layers of what remains sepa- 
rate in thin scales of no regular shape ; the inner portions break 
into rhombohedral masses, which, under the influence of a mag- 
net, become permanently magnetic ; showing that the iron has 
ere been converted into magnetic oxyd. ‘The mass of iron ex- 
hibits no magnetism. 
In removing a slab, the iron was found to be remarkably tough 
and compact. The torn edges oxydized rapidly and developed 
the crystalline structure, before the application of acid; the oxy- 
lation proceeding inwardly from the edges and following the 
lines of cleavage first, and afterwards spreading over the inclosed 
areas. The sawn surfaces, after a few days exposure, were found 
bedewed with drops of a liquid, supposed to be chlorid of iron. 
After longer exposure, the exudation has ceased ; a point of strik- 
ing similarity with the Texas iron. The polished surface is uni- 
orm, without markings, and with few flaws. 
Hydrochloric acid, applied to the heated slab, attacks it, with 
rapid evolution of hydrogen bubbles, but develops only a 
