Z PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 72 



Fer cent 



Inso! 0.042 



Fe 94. 212 



Ni : 5. 626 



Co . 320 



Cu .0004 



Mn None. 



S . 014 



P . 261 



Ft Trace. 



100. 4754 



The insoluble matter, very small in amomit, was examined under 

 the microscope and found to consist of fine quartz and caiborundum 

 grains and a little opaque dust. It is probably all extraneous. 



The reaction for platinum is of special interest. A portion of the 

 hydrochloric acid solution of the iron equivalent to 15.4929 grams 

 was saturated with hydrogen disulphide (HoS) and filtered. The 

 separated sulphur was filtered out together with the platinum (Pt) 

 and copper (Cu) as sulphides, and ignited in a porcelain crucible. 

 The residue, consisting in considerable part of iron oxide, was 

 digested overnight in strong hot hydrochloric acid, diluted and fil- 

 tered through a very small filter. The filter paper showed a visible 

 black residue (PtS?). This was returned to the porcelain crucible, 

 ignited and treated with aqua regia in the crucible and evaporated 

 to drj^ness. After several evaporations to dryness with hydrochloric 

 acid to expel free chlorine and nitrates the residue was several times 

 evaporated to dryness with water, taken up in water and a few drops 

 of potassium iodide were added. The red color characteristic of 

 platinum immediately appeared. The procedure was repeated and 

 the result was the same. This composition taken in connection with 

 the structure would relegate the mass to the class of kamacite 

 octahedrites. 



[2] Wesfe7fh Arkansas {Ga\t. No: 794). — This is a somewhat 

 rounded triangular mass, polished and etched on one side and weigh- 

 ing 1.75 kilograms. It was labeled in Canfield's hand "Meteor 

 found in Arkansas, presented by I. Price Wetherill, ( ? ) June, 1890," 

 and on the obverse " Mr. Wilkins said a native mountaineer brought 

 (his specimen to him in Joplin." With so little of its history known 

 the iron would have not been considered worthy of investigation but 

 for peculiarities noted below. • 



The iron etches very poorl^^, yielding a dull lusterless surface 

 on which the taenite plates are so thin as to be scarcely distinguish- 

 able but by the aid of a lens. The kamacite bands are rarely over 1 

 millimeter in thickness and are very finely granulated throughout. 

 Two very thin dull black wavy lines or veins the nature of which 

 can not be determined traverse this face diagonally. Numerous very 



