Mr. A. A. Hayes on the Alabama Meteoric Iron. 153 



most active powers and affinities ; its existence in this meteor- 

 ite, in the metalloidal form, proves that in the region of space 

 from which it passed, or on the planet from which it was thrown, 

 there is not only no atmosphere for the oxidation of iron, hut no 

 moisture for the decomposition of the chlorides. 



Analysis. — A mass of the meteorite half immersed in pure 

 water was exposed in a jar to the action of moist air. The 

 fluid which was collected in the water resulted from the decom- 

 position of the chlorides of iron and nickel ; all the chlorine of 

 the fluid and that of the deposited crust of oxide, gave with 

 nitrate of silver 325 parts of fused chloride = 80-18 chlorine. 

 The oxide of iron dissolved in the fluid, when brought to the 

 state of peroxide, weighed 64 parts=44-37 iron. None of the 

 nickel oxide was deposited with the iron oxide ; that from solu- 

 tion weighed 100 = 78-70 nickel. 



All these substances were pure, and no others could be detect- 

 ed. The mode of operating evidently destroys all definite com- 

 pounds. 



A slip of the meteorite, from the interior of a mass which 

 had lost a part of its soluble matter, was rendered perfectly clear 

 and bright ; 43 grains were dissolved in weak nitric acid, except- 

 ing minute grains of bisulphuret of iron, weighing 1-030 grains. 

 The solution afforded 51-830 grains of peroxide of iron = 35-936 

 iron. Besides the oxide of iron, oxide of nickel was the only 

 base contained in the solution. When weighed in the state of 

 peroxide, 6-920 were obtained=5-446 nickel. Nitrate of silver 

 had given chloride of silver, which after fusion weighed 1-586 = 

 •390 chlorine. The composition of this slip, thus determined, is 

 For 43 parts — For 100 parts — 



Iron, . . 35-936 Iron, . . 83-572 



Nickel, . . 5-446 Nickel, . . 12-665* 



Bisulphuret of iron, 1-030 Bisulphuret of iron, 2-395 



Chlorine, . 0-390 Chlorine, . . -907 



Loss, . . 0-198 Loss, . . '461 



43-000 100000 



During the time the solution was taking place, a few minute 

 scales of brown oxide of iron were observed, and the solution 



* The proportions of nickel vary in different parts of the specimen ; there being 

 most in the interior of the mass where it has not oozed out. — C. T. J. 

 Vol. XLviii, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1844. 20 



