222 H. B. Medlicott — JSfagerid Meteorite. [Dec. 



^Record of the Nagerid Meteorite, ofTlnd April, 1876, 



Nageria is in the Fathabad parganah o£ tlie Agrah district, Lat. 

 27° 3' N., Lon. 78° 21' E. The fall occurred about an hoiu* and a lialE after 

 sunrise on the 22nd Oct. 1876. The specimen was sent by the Archaeologi- 

 cal Society of Agrah to the Asiatic Society of Bengal and forwarded to the 

 Indian Museum. An account of the circumstances of the faU, drawn up 

 by the Tahsildar, was also received. This is appended as a sample of a re- 

 spectable native official's thoughts on the subject. 



Considering that a mass estimated as weighing 26 lbs., is stated to have 

 fallen, it is very unsatisfactory that so small a portion should have been 

 secured for museums where these objects can be appreciated. 



The total quantity received weighs only about 300 grains. It is a 

 very friable stone ; of an unusual whiteness, greenish gray granules in an 

 abundant, white, almost powdery matrix. The film of fusion is thicker 

 than is generally the case, it has a brilhant black surface. The sp. gr. is 

 3-12. 



Nagerid stone — TaJisUddr'' s Meport. 



" About an hour and a half after daybreak there was a great whizzing 

 noise, as if a great bird rose : then a ball fell and immediately broke ; the 

 sound of its fall reached a great distance. From the inspection of the place 

 it aj)peared that this ball fell in the middle of field No. 253. A large hole 

 2 feet in circumference and diameter 8 inches and depth 8| inches, was 

 made. The land on the spot is very hard. From the inspection of the 

 spot it further appears, that when it fell, it was broken into many fragments, 

 which flew to a great distance. Arguing from the weight of the fragments 

 and the depth and circumference and diameter of the hole it seems, that the 

 ball m\ist have weighed nearly 13 seers ; and considering the hardness of 

 the ground it would appear that it fell straight on the ground from a great 

 distance, 'and with great force. From the sha|)e of the hole, it seems, that 

 the ball fell perpendiciilarly from above. And as the ball was of very hard 

 substance, and crumbled away, it must have fallen from a very great dis- 

 tance." 



" Sometimes a substance in the bright j^hosphorus, which we in India 

 call broken stars, takes fire and falls. But as this ball fell in the day, it 

 cannot be discovered whether it was bright or not. Sometimes European 

 people seat themselves in balloons and ascend, and put stones, &c., in the 

 balloon ; and when the balloon grows heavy, throw out the stones, &c., to 

 lighten it, and it then ascends further. It is just imaginable that some 

 aeronaut may have flung out the stone. But I never saw a stone like this. 

 In short, there are many doubts in the matter, but there is no doubt on 

 this point that the ball fell from above on to the ground, and that the peo- 



