OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEOBS. 369 



magnetic pyrites (troilite?) could be seen. He noticed patches of a 

 brown colour, which he considers characteristic of this meteorite. 



Losanitch, in his communication to the Berlin Chemical Society, 

 which appeared subsequently, states an interval of 25 seconds elapsed 

 between the appearance of the meteor and the first explosion, which was 

 followed by two others. The explosion occurred at an altitude of 7000 

 metres. The path of the meteor made an angle of 220° 50' with the 

 magnetic meridian, and followed a course from N.E. to S.W., with a 

 very rapid descent. The track of the meteor has been calculated by 

 Kleritj, and the details are to be found in ' Glasnik,' the journal of a 

 Servian learned society. He makes the entire weight of the stones, 

 whole and in fragments, to weigh 80 kilog. 



All the meteorites are coated with a black rough vitreous crust, 

 0*5 mm. in thickness, exhibiting numerous depressions. The interior 

 consists of spherules of various sizes, some brown, some yellow, cemented 

 together by an ash-grey material, and presents the appearance of a 

 trachytic lava. In polished sections, prepared for microscopic examina- 

 tion, nickel-iron in granules, hackly fragments and filiform particles are 

 to be recognised. The specific gravity of the meteorite is 3'502. The 

 meteorite consists of — 



I. II. 



Nickel-iron 3-8 3-7 



Silicates 96-2 96-3 



100-0 100-0 



and a little iron sulphide. A fragment of the nickel-iron, which was 

 separated from all adhering silicate, possessed the composition — 



Iron = 78-13 



Nickel = 21-70 



Copper = o-17 



100-00 

 This is a high percentage of nickel ; the ratio of the metals is — 

 Fe: Ni as 4 : 1. The iron sulphide was found to be the mono-sulphide, 

 and to contain 63'84 per cent, of iron ; theory requires iron = 63'64 per 

 cent. Analyses of the complete meteoric rock, containing the metallic 

 alloy and iron sulphide, but freed from all trace of crust, were made — (1) 

 by treating it with hydrochloric acid and caustic potash, which removed 

 constituents amounting in three cases to 60 - 50 per cent., 61-44 per cent., 

 and 6179 per cent.; and (2) by determining the ingredients of the 

 portions (I.) acted upon by, and (II.) withstanding these reagents. They 

 are as follow : — 



I. II. 



Silicic acid 32-24 5G-66 



Iron protoxide 28-41 '. 23-55 



Manganese oxide 0-20 0-003 



Magnesia 30-53 20-84 



Soda 0-43 



Potash 009 !.!.!.!".."!." — 



Iron 0-70 — 



Nickel ; 0-17 



Iron roonosulphide = G-78-f?f e = „ ?i 



l_ S = 247 — 



Chromite 0-11 



Phosphorus trace 



99-55 101-63 



1878. B B 



