740 METEORIC STONES AND SHOOTING STABS. 



Between half-past 5 and 6 p. m. of Dec. 2d, 1877, a brilliant meteor 

 passed across, from west to east, at probably not over 30° elevation. It was 

 seen at Pleasant Hill and Kansas City. 



The Western Eeview op Science chronicles the fall of another meteor 

 on Nov. 29th, at about 6 p. m., that was seen at Kansas City. 



Three or four pieces of meteoric iron have been found in different por- 

 tions of Missouri, of which we possess no record of their time of fall. The 

 largest was obtained by myself, from Eates County, in 1875. It was dis- 

 covered near Butler. (Lat. 38° 20' N., Long. 94° 22' W.) A blacksmith in 

 Butler heated it in order to cut off pieces ; one piece of two pounds occu- 

 pying him about two hours in cutting off. "When I obtained the mass it 

 weighed just 85 pounds, probably four or five pounds having been already 

 cut off. Being exposed a long time, it had a thick rusty coat on its surface. 

 The metal is very tough, and shows Avhen cut many nodules of Troillite. 

 I counted fourteen, varying in size from one-eight to an inch, and fifty- 

 eight smaller ones, some mere specks. The Widmanstattian figures were 

 finely developed, and show four systems of lines, of which one system 

 crosses the lines of another at 60°, one at about 78° and one at about right 

 angles. It measures in extreme length ten and a half inches by seven n 

 height, and of irregular shape. An analysis by Dr. J. Lawrence Smith, 

 gave, specific gravity, 7.72. Its composition : 



Iron 89.12 



Nickel 10.02 



Cobalt .- 26 



Copper 01 



Phosphorus 12 



The troillite has a specific gravity of 4.73. 



Figure 3. Bates County Meteorite, (one-sixth size) from photograph. 



