222 Dr. Walter Flight — History of Meteorites. 



In its general aspect the Lance meteorite resembles that which fell 

 at Ornans (1868, July 11th). 



Since the publication of these papers recording the fall and the 

 examination of the Lance stone, a letter has been addressed to 

 M. Daubree by M. Jolly, stating that an observer, who was at 

 Chinee, Commune of Jaulnay, Canton of Saint-Georges, Dep. of la 

 Vienne, heard two loud explosions, which appeared to come from 

 the direction of Chatellerault, and a hissing noise, such as would be 

 caused by the rapid passage of a large body through the air. This 

 point is forty kilometres to the S.W. of that reported on by M. De 

 Tastes. 



In August, 1874, Daubree announced the discovery of four more 

 meteorites belonging to this fall. They weigh 3 kilog , 0-62 kilog., 

 0*60 kilog., and 0-30 kilog. The first had fallen near the Sablet, 

 between Authon and Villechauve ; the second and third were found 

 about 100 metres apart at points north of Authon and about three 

 kilometres from Prunay ; and the fourth had fallen in the Commune 

 of Authon. 



1872. August 31st. 5 15 a.m. (Rome mean time). — Orvinio (formerly 

 Canemorto), near Rome. [Lat. 42° 8' N. ; Long. 12° 26' E.] l 



A meteor was seen at daybreak by many observers in the pro- 

 vinces of Eome, Umbria, Abruzzo, and Terra di Lavoro. At first it 

 appeared like a large star of a red colour. It increased in brilliance 

 as it traversed the sky, in a northerly direction, leaving a white 

 train. At a certain point it became brilliantly white, and then 

 vanished, a luminous cloud remaining, which was visible for a quarter 

 of an hour. The meteor appears to have crossed the coast-line at a 

 point near Terracina, to have passed over Piperno in a direction 7° 

 W. of N., and, moving N.N.E. over Cori and Gennazzano, to have 

 exploded over the latter town. After the lapse of two to three 

 minutes, two reports were heard, the first like that of a cannon, the 

 second like a series of from three to six guns fired in rapid succession. 

 The greater part of the stone fell at Orvinio, over which place the 

 second explosion appears to have taken place, and some fragments 

 were carried further northward. 



Six fragments of the meteorite, weighing collectively 3-396 kilog., 

 have been found : — No. 1, weighing 4f grammes, fell with a hissing 

 noise near a peasant at Gerano ; No. 2, weighing 92 grammes, fell at 

 La Scarpa, within ten metres of a farmer, who picked it up while 

 hot; No. 3, weighing 622 grammes, was found two or three days 

 after the fall a few centimetres below the surface, in a stubbled field 

 at Pezza del Meleto, between Orvinio and Pozzaglia ; No. 4, 1242-5 

 grammes in weight, was found a week after the fall, close to Orvinio : 



1 A. Secchi. Compt. rend., lxxv. 655. — G. S. Ferrari. Bicherche fisico-astrono- 

 miche intorno all' Uranolito caduto nell' agro Bomano il 31 di Agosto, 1872. Boma : 

 Tip. Bell. Arti. 1873.— P. Keller. Fogg. Ann., cl. 171. Mineralog. Mitt., 1874, 

 258. — M. le Chevalier Michel-Etienne de Bossi and G. Bellucci. Atti dell' Ace. 

 pontif. di nuovi Lincei, 1873. — Les Mondes, 25th December, 1873. — L. Sipocz. 

 Mineralog. Mitt., 1874, 244.— G. Tschermak. Sitz. Ah. Wiss. Wien,lxx. November 

 Heft, 1874. 



