170 • Dr. Walter Flight— On Meteorites. 



It is stated by Prof. Sliepard to closely resemble the meteorite of 

 Pegu, India (27tli December, 1857), and to consist of dark ash-grey 

 spherules (Boltonite), imbedded in a nearly white pulverulent 

 matrix, "chladnite," olivine in distinct grains, nickel-iron, and a 

 little troilite. The specific gravity of a fragment partially covered 

 with crust was 3-65. 



According to Prof. Kirkwood its elevation at Bloomington, where 

 it was well noticed, was fifteen degrees, and it is calculated that the 

 length of the observed track was from 1000 to 1100 miles, one of 

 the longest on record. Its height is supposed to have been thirty- 

 eight miles above the place where the small fragment fell from it. Its 

 velocity in reference to the earth's surface appears to be from eight 

 to twelve miles per second. The p^'rotechnical display is said to 

 have been transcendently beautiful. 



The entire fragment did not weigh 400 grammes, and it is reason- 

 able to suppose that the stone itself was dissipated into very minute 

 fragments and dust, as appears to have been the case in the Hessle 

 fall and in other similar instances. The stone, according to Dr. L. 

 Smith, is markedly pisolitic (highly chondritic), very friable, of a 

 grey colour, is easily crushed between the fingers into a light powder, 

 some to a fine dust, and to small globules, some of them being per- 

 fectly spherical. In many respects it appears to bear a close resem- 

 blance with the Ornans meteorite. Dr. L. Smith found it to resemble 

 most closely the Aussun stone. The coating is dull black and quite 

 rough, and the specific gravity 3-55. The stone contained 3-31 per 

 cent, of troilite, and on treatment with hydrochloric acid was found 

 to consist of : — 



A. Soluble silicates 47-80 



B. Insoluble silicates 52-20 



ained respectively :- 



_ 



100-00 





A. 



B. 



Silicic acid 



.. 34-55 ... . 



57-81 



Iron protoxide 



.. 27-75 ... . 



11-04 



Alumina 



trace 



0-23 



Cbromium oxide ... . 





0-10 



Lime 



trace ... . 



5-31 



Magnesia 



.. 36-38 ... . 



24-97 



Soda 



0-46 ... . 



0-84 



99-14 100-30 



Some of the globules, when picked out and analyzed, were found 

 to possess the same composition as that of the complete rock itself, 

 which showed them to be merely concretions of the matrix. The 

 nickel-iron contained : — 



Iron = 94-49 ; Nickel = 4-12 ; and Cobalt = 0-51 ; = 99-12. 



The mineral constituents of the Eochester meteorite are : — 



Bronzite and pyroxene minerals 46-00 



Olivine 41-00 



Nickel-iron 10-00 



Troilite 3-00 



Chrome iron 0-15 



* (2b be continued in our next Number.) 



