198 METEORIC STONES IN INDIA. 



for instance an aerial meteor or water-spout in the neighbourhood of 

 Bhurtpore where aerolite is said also to have fallen. A luminous 

 meteor or something which from the newspaper account reads like an 

 Aurora Borealis at Delhi. This was on the night before the Meteoro- 

 lite. A shower of live fish at Benares unaccompanied by rain. A 

 similar shower but accompanied by rain fell some years before at 

 Agra. A shower of blood at Furruckabad, and likewise at Meerut 

 previously.* 



Also a dark spot observable on the disc of the Sun. 



22. Besides the recent shock of an earthquake slightly felt here, 

 there was an unnatural yellow darkness of some duration, followed by 

 a violent wind storm from 3 p. m. to 5 p. m. on one afternoon early 

 in the present month. These were all more or less strange pheno- 

 mena. 



22. Two descriptions of aerolite fell in this district, that sent in a 

 wooden box (of which but a small fragment was found) fell at Bow- 

 arna, and that resembling granite or limestone fell at the places named, 

 in much larger quantities. 



24. The largest piece that was found of the latter weighed about 

 four maunds pucka. 



25. As the piece I have examined will not answer to the test of 

 acetic acid, I am of opinion that it does not contain carbonate of lime. 

 I should be glad to ascertain the exact chemical constitution, for I am 

 firmly of opinion that it differs from all other stones or metals of 

 terrestrial origin. t 



26. The accompanying extracts of the more remarkable pheno- 

 mena may be read with some interest by the Hon'ble the Lieutenant- 

 Governor. 



Copy of a letter from Officiating Deputy Commissioner of Dhurm- 

 salla, to R. H. Davies, Escpiire, Secretary to the Government of 

 Punjab, No. 512, dated 25tk April, 1861. 



With reference to your letter No. 683, dated 4th instant, I have 

 the honor to state that I have been making further enquiries with 

 regard to the meteorolite that fell at Dhurmsalla. 



* It will of course be understood by all readers that the so-called showers of blood, the 

 occurrence of which has been frequently recorded, consist of rain discolored by the mixture 

 of a red substance. — Ud. C. J. 



t P. /S.— Probably there are grains of chi-ysolite in it, and perhaps cobalt or chrome as 

 well, but I have no means of ascertaining this- It certainly is not magnetic, but it may be 

 chromic iron. 



