xlii Presidents Address 



lay in the neighbourhood of Cranbourne, about thirty miles 

 from Melbourne. The smaller meteorite described, which 

 weighed nearly a ton, was shortly afterwards purchased by 

 Mr. Abel, and after being exhibited here, was sent to the 

 Inter-National Exhibition, on the close of which it will, 

 it is understood, become the property of the British Museum. 



The larger, which exceeds the other nearly fourfold, 

 weighing 8,512 lbs. or 3 tons 16* cwt., was likewise destined 

 by its owner for the same institution, but an appeal having 

 been made by Professor M'Coy on behalf of the Victorian 

 Museum, Mr. Bruce, I am happy to say, has expressed his 

 willingness that half should be retained in the colony, a 

 course, to which, however, some objections have, under these 

 circumstances been raised. The question having been 

 submitted to my judgment, I suggested that perhaps the 

 better plan would be, to ask the trustees of the British 

 Museum to send back the smaller mass purchased from Mr. 

 Abel on condition of receiving the " Bruce" meteorite in its 

 original state ; but in opposition to this it is urged that the 

 sawing of the latter in two, so far from injuring it, is 

 absolutely essential to admit of its structure being properly 

 examined, and its inner face polished or etched, and that if casts 

 be taken beforehand of the whole, as well as of the respective 

 moieties afterwards, and deposited in both Museums, every 

 possible object will be attained. 



I am proud certainly to think that there are in this young 

 country men so eminent in the study of magnetism, of 

 mineralogy, of chemistry, and the other sciences involved, 

 as to be capable of satisfactorily investigating the properties 

 and the origin of such phenomena, but I must confess, 

 nevertheless, that looking to the uniqueness of the specimen 

 — for though three larger meteoric masses are known to 

 exist, two in Mexico, and one in La Plata, the heaviest yet 

 brought to Europe weighs but 14 cwt., and the next but 



