491 
The Rev. Samvrt Haveuton, F.R.8., Fellow of Trinity College, 
Dublin, read a paper— 
ON THE SHOWER OF AEROLITHS THAT FELL AT KILLETER, CO. TYRONE, 
ON THE 29TH APRIL, 1844. 
On the 29th April, 1844, a shower of meteoric stones fell, in the sight 
of several people, at Killeter, near Castlederg, Co. Tyrone; they broke 
into small fragments by the fall, one piece only being found entire. It 
was (according to the testimony of a resident) ‘‘ about as long as a joint 
of a little finger.’’ The account given by three gentlemen, who, how- 
ever, did not “actually see the shower fall, was that they were at a dis- 
tance of three or four miles, up the hills in the neighbourhood ; it was 
a fine sunny evening, three or four o’clock. They heard ‘“ music’ 
towards Killeter, which they supposed to proceed from a strolling 
German band, which they knew to be in the neighbourhood ; they are 
under the impression that they heard the music several times in the 
course of the evening ; they remember also to have noticed clouds in the 
direction of Killeter. On reaching Killeter the same evening, they were 
told of the wonderful shower of stones, which had spread over several 
fields. I received the fragments of these stones from the Rey. Dr. M‘Ivor, 
ex-Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and rector of Ardstraw ; he writes 
to me that ‘‘it isnow very difficult to get either a specimen of a stone 
or any very distinct intelligence of them ; even the very rumour of them 
has nearly died out, and you might ask intelligent middle-aged men 
about the neighbourhood who had never heard them mentioned.’”’ He 
adds that the people of that locality are very ‘‘ uncurious;”’ and that if 
there were a veritable burning bush thereabouts, few would ‘turn 
aside to see.” 
The largest specimen given to me by Dr. M‘Ivor weighed 22-23 
grs. in air, and 16°32 grs. in water, showing that its specific gravity is 
3°761. It and the smaller fragments presented the usual black crust, 
and internal greyish-white crystalline structure and appearance, with 
specks of metallic lustre, occasioned by the iron and nickel alloy that was 
present. J analysed it in the usual manner; but, owing to an accident, 
I was unable to determine the composition of the earthy portion soluble 
in muriatic acid. 
The following is the mineralogical composition of these aéroliths :— 
1. Hornblendic mineral, . . . . . . 84:18 
(Insoluble in acid). 
2. Matiny memreraly 952 2s etd kw OO ee 
(Soluble in acid). 
See, 81d I Ole «Eh omg Pe ORM flrs OY Ue 
4, Nickel, a7. ages So! or Rn aktearpinrppbte ee 7 
5. Sesquioxide of chrome, 2 Sia teeta ele ai cael ahi 
Sp PAU th MAM ai Mh ACSF ka ie a BBE: ig? 2 
tic Magnetic DYN. ee ar eT ete eee, Cage 
100:00 
