yr J. Lawrence Smith on Meteorites. 343 
strong evidence of this irregularity in its motion, which was 
“scolloping,” a motion frequently observed in meteorites, and 
doubtless due to the resistance of the atmosphere upon the irreg- 
ular mass, for a spherical body passing through a resisting medi- 
um at great velocity would not show this. In fact, if almost any 
of the specimens of meteorites in our cabinets were discharged 
from a cannon, even in their limited flight the scolloping motion 
‘ would be seen. 
This then will conclude what I have to say in contradiction to 
the supposition of large solid cosmical bodies passing through 
the atmosphere, and dropping small portions of their mags.g ‘The 
contradiction is seen to be based ; first, upon the fact tha§#heme- 
teorite is known of any very great size, none larger than the 
granite balls to be found at the Dardanelles along side of the 
pieces of ordnance from which they are discharged ; secondly, on 
the fallacy of estimating the actual size of these bodies from 
their apparent size; and lastly from its being opposed to all the 
laws of chance that these bodies should have been passing 
| through an atmosphere for ages and none have yet encountered 
the body of the earth. ier 
To sum up the theory of the lunar origin of meteorites, it 
may be stated— That ihe moon is the only large body in space 
of which we have any knowledge, possessing the requisite con- 
ditions demanded by thephysical and chemical properties of me- 
leorites ; and that they have been thrown of from that body by 
volcanic action, (doubtless long since extinct,) and, encountering 
20 aseous medium of resistance, reached such a distance as that 
e moon exercised no longer a preponderating attraction—the * 
detached fragment, possessing an orbital motion a 
velocity, which it had in common with all parts of the moon, but 
now more or less modified by the projectile force and new condi- 
tion of attraction in which it was placed with reference to the earth, 
acquired an independent orbit _— or ee wage pects si 
necessarily subject to great disturbing imfiuences / 
| ree fie: ar dlnegmdee’y and be intercepted by the body of the 
Slobe, 
