,S( /liNCIi-GOSSIP 



69 



troin ten miles lo fifty miles per scconri, ilicre thus 

 l)cinf; nut suiricieni limr for tlie heal to allect the 

 whole mass. 



It appears to he ilouhtful whether meteors be* 

 lome visible lo human eyes at a greater heij^ht 

 than 100 miles above the earth's surface. The 

 majurily disappear, being consumed by their fric- 

 tion with our atmosphere before reaching twenty- 

 five miles above us. If they come nearer they 

 generally reach the earth in the form of meteorites. 

 Immense numbers of bodies are travelling in 

 space in the same way as are planets and comets 

 around the sun. They may be solitary individuals, 

 or associated in large " flocks " as are the Leonids 

 and Andromeds. The meteor orbit is much ex- 

 tended, as in the case of comets. Meteoroids are 

 often coincident with the arrival of comets, but 

 occur either before or after those celestial bodies. 

 These meteoroids, therefore, must not be supposed 

 to be the comet's tail. They form a class in them- 

 selves, and are hardly ever known to reach the 

 earth's surface. That meteorites do fall about the 

 time of a comet's contiguity with the earth has 

 been known, as instanced in the case of one of rare 

 constitution that fell at Mazapil, in Me.\ico, on 

 November 27th, 1885, when Biela's lost comet was 

 due in proximity with ilie earth. 



Meteorites vary greatly in size, the majority being 

 small ; that is, from a few grammes lo a few pounds 

 in weight, and one exceeiling loolb. is exceptional. 

 .Still, some of much greater weight are known, there 

 being one in the \'ienna collection upwards of 

 6oolb. in weight. The figure on j)age 66 is an iron 

 mass that passed through Mr. Gregory's hands that 

 weighed no less than j, 0441b. It was found at 

 Viiundegin, in Western Australia, anil was even- 

 tually purchased for (he Vienna collection for a 

 sum of ;i"5oo. 



The holosiderites, or iron masses, occur of nuuli 

 larger size than any known stone meteorites. 

 l"ig. 3 is another of the same fall that was obtained 

 by Mr. Gregory. We have all heard of Peary's 

 Greenlanil mass of meteoric iron weighing about 

 ICO tons, now on view in the United States. .\ 

 storv ran the rounil of the newspapers a few months 

 ago to the effect that one had fallen in South 

 Africa that was as large as St. Paul's Cathedral, in 

 London ; but no more has been heard of it. 

 Already one has been mentioned as having fallen 

 in South .\merica that was estimated to weigh 

 3o,ooolb. It is doubtful whether the "shooting 

 .stars" which .suddenly appear and then almost in- 

 stantly " go out," arc larger than coarse grains of 

 s.ind, or the size of peas at most. 



The constitution of the iron in meteorites is quite 

 characteristic and readily identified. It varies 

 largely in quantity in different falls, some being 

 almost free, and others having minute specks in 

 the stony matter. .-\11 meteorites containing iron 

 have more or less indicatiims of nickel in associa- 

 tion. Meteoric iron when cut and polished, and 

 then etched with acids, shows some beautiful silver/ 

 designs, which are known as Widmannslatten 



figures. The iron unafTected by the acid exhibits 

 a number of irregularly parallel bars lying at times 

 along the faces of a regular octahedron. We re- 

 produce in I'igs. 4 an<l 5 phiitograplis of two of 

 these sections, selecteil from Mr. Gregory's collcc- 

 ticm. This peculiarity of the iron is an unfailing 

 test of meteoric origin. 



Other constituents of meteorites and phenomena 

 connected with them will be mentioned next month, 

 when I propose to conclude with a description of 

 the Gregory collection in some detail. 

 (To he cnntinund.) 



FI.OWKR.S IX AUGUST. 



H\ S. .\i.iii;Kr VVkbb. 



"L^OK the benefit of young Students of field-botany, 

 ■'- I ha\c drawn up a list of a few of the more 

 readily examined plants that may generally be found 

 blooming in Augu.st. These, for the convenience of 

 beginners, I have made typical of their respective 

 families ; so that a knowledge of their characters will 

 lead lo the identification of others less common 

 or more obscure in the various families. If the 

 beginner becomes familiar with the points necessary 

 for classifying those mentioned below, he will have 

 acquired considerable botanical information, and 

 taken the first steps towards a critical knowledge ot 

 our native plants, and their exotic allies. No 

 attempt has been made to enumerate all the flowers 

 of .\ugust, only characteri.slic examples being chosen. 

 IiOKAc;iNi;AK : Flowers in a spike. Calyx 5. 

 Corolla 5. .Stamens 5 on the con-lla. Ovary .superior. 

 Forget-me-not [Afyosotis paliistris), to be found in 

 watery places. Field scorpion-grass (Afyosotis 

 aii'ciisis), in woods, hedges, etc. 



Cami'ANLI.aceaf. : Calyx 5. Corolla 5. Stamens 

 5, on the ovary. Ovary inferior. Canterbury-bell 

 (Caiiipanula tmrlidiiim). in woods, hedges, etc., 

 especially on chalky soils. \'ery rare. Harebell 

 (Catiipaiiiita rotiiin/i/olia), common in fields, com- 

 mons, and by hedges. 



CAr'RiFOl.lAcKAK : Calyx 4 or 5, joined to ovar)'. 

 Corolla 4 or 5 cleft. Stamens 4 or 5 on corolla. 

 Ovary inferior. Honeysuckle ( I.oiiiicra fcyicly- 

 meiium ), growing over hedges, etc. 



CARYOi'HVlLliAE : Flowers regular. Calyx 4 or 

 5. Corolla 4 or 5. .Stamens 4 or 5 or more. 

 Ovary superior. Bladder campion ( Sitcnc inJJala), 

 in hedge-rows, fields, chalk-downs, etc. White 

 campion ( Lydiiiis vcspcrliiia), hedge-rows, clover- 

 fields, etc. Pink campion ( L. liiiinia ), on hedge-banks 

 and other shady places. Corn cockle ( L. git/ia^o), 

 to be found in harvest fields. 



CisTiNEAE : Flowers regular. Calyx 5, 3 larger 

 than the remaining 2. Corolla 5. Stamens numerous. 

 Ovary superior. Rock-rose ( Hclianthcmtim viilgarc), 

 on dry banks, especially on limestone and chalk 

 formations. 



Co.Mi'OsiTAE : Flowers in a head. Calyx o, or 

 with pappus. Corolla funnel-.shaped, etc., or wanting. 

 Stamens 5 on corolla. Ovary inferior. Milfoil 



