IB REPORT 1861. 



known pits, roughness or smoothness, rounded and bulging-out edges — it may be 

 inferred that some of the single stones connected with a fall of a swarm or 

 shower, or the gi-eater number of them, have not been detached fi-om a larger 

 body, but that they have entered the atmosphere unconnected with any other, and 

 have always kept one position, the fore part and sides being uniformly rough, while 

 the back part, though smoother, is covered with depressions, showing what has been 

 called the "pitted surface of meteorites. 



Fi?. 3. 



The compression of the air of the atmosphere, and the centre of expansion 

 formed, will not only give the rise in temperature, produce light, and foiTu a ball, 

 but it must also impart a rotatory movement, and at last aii-est the solid matter 

 (stone or iron) in its course. The cosmic portion of its track, still continuing at A, 

 fig. 3, when the meteorite M entera the atmosphere, is closed at C, and from thence 

 it drops simply to the ground at D, in its telluric ti-ack, like any other heavy body, 

 gravitating only towards oiu: planet. Particles scaling off at a point B may ap- 

 pear like spai'ks to us, while the surface may easily be covered again by a new but 

 thinner crust, before the stone reaches the point C. Stones falling to the earth in 

 this way appear black in the aii-, from the comparative slowness of movement, 

 several of them together sometimes resembling " a flock of birds." No fireball is 

 seen where the aerolitic botlies themselves can be distinguished, as is stated, among 

 other falls, in that of New Concord, Ohio, of May 1, 1860. 



During the time of the downfall and immediately after it, the temperature of 

 the crust, which must have been sufficiently high to" melt it, again meets the low 

 temperature of the interior of the aerolite, which must have been the same in the 

 larger aerolite as that of cosmic space. It is said that lai'ge masses when taken up 

 appear to the touch " no wanner than if they had lain on the groimd exposed to 

 the sun's rays." This is the expression used by Prof. Laurence Smith, when 

 speaking of the fall of New Concord and of Guernsey County on the 1st of May, 

 1860. The mass of ii-on which fell, Januaiy 1844, in the Caritas Paso, in Comentes 

 (R. P. Greg, Philosophical Magazine for July 1855), came down, however, most 

 intensely heated, which prevented a near approach to it, even some horns after its 

 fall. But this may also be accounted for by the greater conducting power of fron 

 for heat. On the other hand, fragments of stone taken up, e. g., after the fall of 

 Dhurmsala or Dhai-msala, Kangi-a, Punjab, on July 14, 1860, were found so intensely 

 cold, that the natives who took up some of them, " before they had held them in 

 their hands half a minute, it is said, had to drop them, owing to the intensity of 

 cold, which quite benumbed their fingers." No description relative to the matter 

 of which these Dhai-msala stones consist has as yet been published. 



One very peculiar featm-e attending in most instances the fall of meteorites, is the 

 phenomenon of "tenific bm-sting noise," of "reports most terrible, filling the 

 neighbom-hood with awe," fi-equently "several of them following each other;" as 

 also that characteristic "rumbling " which follows the main reports, or a sequel of 

 peals^ of musketry, and sometimes hissing sounds. I should venture to propose a 

 solution dependent simply on the well-known physical fact, that soimd more or 

 less loud may be produced from the mere suddenly filling up of an empty space or 

 vacuum with air. I am happy to say that I am supported in this supposition by 

 Prof. Laiu-ence Smith, who likewise, quite independently, came to the same result. 

 These reports, or succession of several reports, are called " explosions," and, gene- 

 rally speaking, the fireballs at the same time disappear. But certainly it is not 

 such aa explosion as we might expect from a projectile filled with gunpowder. On. 



