Br. Walter Flight— Eistonj of Meteorites. 19 



In the soluble part the oxygen ratios do not widely differ from 

 those of an olivine, while the atomic ratio of iron oxide to magnesia, 

 nearly 1 to 4, is that observed in many meteoric olivines ; among 

 others those of the aerolites of Chantonnay, Oesel, and Richmond. 

 As in Nordenskj old's analysis the soluble portion was collected after 

 the powdered mineral had been digested for a long time with warm, 

 concentrated acid, it is certain that some portion of any bronzite or 

 enstatite that might be present would undergo decomposition, and 

 this would explain the slight excess over 1 to 1 in the oxygen 

 ratios of acid and total bases in the insoluble part. This insoluble 

 portion, it will be seen, appears to be chiefly bronzite, and here again 

 the ratio of the two metallic oxides, also about 1 to 4, is that of the 

 bronzite of several meteorites, including among them the three 

 mentioned above ; and the Hessle meteorite is a fourth example, in 

 both the olivine and bronzite of which the atomic ratio of iron oxide 

 to magnesia is the same (1 r. 4). The alumina has been regarded as a 

 constituent of the bronzite, very few specimens of that mineral, 

 whether terrestrial or meteoric, containing none of this oxide ; it 

 could not be present as anorthite, as the chief amount is in the 

 insoluble portion ; nor could it be in the form of any other felspar, 

 as the requisite alkali is not present. 



The most remarkable feature of the Hessle shower is the associa- 

 tion with the stones already described of other cosmical matter, 

 chiefly composed of carbon. It was remarked by the peasants that 

 some of the stones which fell on the ice near Arno soon crumbled to 

 a blackish-brown powder, which formed with the snow-water a 

 mixture resembling coffee-grounds. Similar powder was found on 

 the ice at Hafslaviken in masses as large as the hand, which floated 

 like foam on water, and could not be held between the fingers. A 

 small amount, secured for examination, was observed under the 

 microscope to be composed of small spherical granules. It contained 

 metallic particles extractible with the magnet, and, when ignited, 

 burnt away, leaving a reddish-brown ash ; heated in a tube, it gave 

 a small amount of a brown liquid distillate. A specimen dried at 

 110° had the following composition :— Equivalent Ratios. 



Carbon 51-6 8-6 



Hydrogen 3-8 3 8 



Oxygen (calculated) 15*7 1*96 



Silicic acid 16*7 



Iron protoxide ... ... 8 - 4 



Magnesia 1*5 



Lime 0-8 



Soda, with trace of lithia 1*5 



100-0 

 The combustible constituent accompanying the stony matter in 

 the above mixture appears to have the formula nC 9 H 4 2 . The 

 Hessle stones form a new member of the small class of carbo- 

 naceous meteorites, that is to say, such as contain carbon in the 

 amorphous form, or combined with hydrogen and oxygen, or in both 

 these conditions ; it includes at present those which fell at Kaba, 

 Cold Bokkeveldt, Alais, Orgueil, Goalpara, and others. 



