254 Description and Analysis of a Meteoric Mass. 



the magnet. After the effervescence ceased, it was heated in 

 order to dissolve every thing that was soluble. The insoluble 

 part was washed and dried ; it was pure carbon, and weighed 

 46 J grains. 



The hydrochloric solution being treated with nitric acid, to 

 convert the protoxide of iron into peroxide, and precipitated by 

 ammonia, gave peroxide of iron equal to three grains of metallic 

 iron. The filtered solution was treated with pure potassa, and 

 a hardly perceptible gray flocculent precipitate was obtained, so 

 that this iron was free from nickel. 



Carbon, - - - - - - 46.5 



Iron, 3.0 



Loss, ------- 0.5 



100.0 



3. Sulphuret of Iron. — A small fragment of the pyrites was 

 dissolved in diluted hydrochloric acid, under a brisk effervescence 

 of sulphuretted hydrogen gas. Part of it was insoluble ; this 

 after being washed and dried, was exposed to heat, by which the 

 sulphur was sublimed, leaving a black powder. The quantity 

 used was too small to determine the proportion ; it is composed of 

 sulphnret of iron and carhon. 



4. Hydroxide of Iron. — The hydroxide of iron lost about 17 

 per cent, by being heated, and had all the characters of a similar 

 residue from brown ironstone or hasmatite. 



This is not the only instance in which meteoric iron has been 

 found in the State of Tennessee. A small mass of it was found 

 in Dickson County ; another, a few miles west of Canyfork in 

 De Kalb County. The latter had a smooth glossy surface, and 

 was of an oval shape, its longer diameter being from 10 to VZ 

 inches. 



It is said that several masses have been found about 20 miles 

 east from the v/arm springs in Buncombe County, North Carolina. 

 I went to the spot, during my last excursion in East Tennessee, 

 but I could learn nothing with certainty concerning it, and did 

 not see any of the metal.* 



Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 8, 1839. 



* One mass, at least, of meteoric iron has been found in this county, and an anal- 

 pis of it was published by Prof. C. U. Shepard, in this Jour. Vol. 36, p. 81.— Eds. 



