150 Mr. A. A. Hayes on the Alabama Meteoric Iron. 



of delicate brilliant folia ; or was dotted by minute crystalline 

 portions of pyrites. The color of the general surface was light 

 gray. Under a lens the texture resembled that of ductile iron, 

 containing innumerable glimmering points of unequal size. It 

 could be polished but under the file, or with cutting instruments. 

 It had the characters of cast-iron, and would not afford a shaving. 

 There were a few dots of an earthy mineral or rock, having a 

 magnesian base, closely adhering to fragments of pyrites. Cavi- 

 ties and extreme irregularity of surface denoted very unequal 

 action of the atmosphere on different parts of the mass. 



Warm pure water was used to remove every trace of soluble 

 matter from the clear surface of the mass ; and the last washings 

 would not change the transparency of a solution of nitrate of 

 silver. The bright surface, when dried, would rapidly oxidize 

 if exposed to moist air. An exposure of a few hours would cause 

 the appearance of brown spots, irregularly disposed ; and soon 

 after the surface would become studded with innumerable mi- 

 nute drops of a greenish white fluid which had apparently exu- 

 ded from the mass. As these drops increased in size, they de- 

 posited an ochry precipitate, and would finally flow off", leaving 

 the surface corroded. The fluid formed by collecting these 

 drops, when mixed with a solution of nitrate of silver, caused 

 the deposition of thick curdy matter, which, after being washed, 

 would become purple colored in sunlight. Decomposed by me- 

 tallic zinc in dilute sulphuric acid, the curdy matter afforded hy- 

 drochloric acid and silver ; no trace of iodine or bromine existed. 

 The fluid which had afforded the precipitate, with the nitrate of 

 silver containing silver in solution, was boiled with muriatic and 

 nitric acids ; the clear fluid separated. On adding an excess of 

 pure ammonia to the nitro-muriatic solution, a brown oxide of 

 iron was precipitated, while a clear violet blue fluid remained 

 above it. The blue fluid by evaporation aff"orded a dry mass, in 

 which neither copper or cobalt could be detected. Besides am- 

 monia salts, pure oxide of nickel only remained. The platina 

 basin, in which the reduction of the oxide had been eff'ected, 

 contained a green solution above some angular brilliant grains of 

 bisulphuret of iron. The solution containing the oxides dissolved 

 from the mass of meteorite was divided ; so much as contained 

 above two hundred grains of oxides was exposed to a current of 

 sulphydric acid for two hours ; no precipitation or change of 



