380 



read the following note from Major Sabine, respecting a 

 similar body which has been examined and described by 

 M. Ehrenberg. 



" In the year 1686, some workmen who had been fetch- 

 ing water from a pond seven German miles from Memel, 

 on returning to their work after dinner, (during which there 

 had been a snow storm,) found the flat ground around 

 the pond covered with a coal-black, leafy, or paper-like 

 mass ; and a person, who lived near, said he had seen it 

 fall like flakes with the snow. On examination, some of 

 the pieces were found to be as large, as a table, and were 

 lying upon each other to the depth of the thickness of a 

 finger. The mass was damp and smelt disagreeably, like 

 rotten seaweed ; but when dried the smell went off. It tore 

 fibrously like paper. Specimens were preserved in several 

 collections, where it was known by the name of Meteor-paper, 

 and by many was actually supposed to be a meteoric body. 

 It has been recently examined by M. Ehrenberg, and found 

 to consist partly of vegetable matter, chiefly conferva cris- 

 pata, (common in Germany,) and partly of infusoria, of 

 which M. Ehrenberg was able to recognise twenty-nine 

 species. Of these, eight species have siliceous coverings, 

 but the others, which are equally well preserved, were 

 soft-skinned animals ; most of them are known as species 

 now existing. 



" The Meteor-paper, therefore, as it has been called, was 

 formed in marshy places ; had been raised into the air by 

 storms of wind ; and had again fallen. 



"Substances of the same nature have been found in Nor- 

 way, in Silesia, and in the Erz Mountains. In some instances 

 they are described as leathery ; in others as resembling wad- 

 ding, and being white on the upper side and green beneath. 

 They have probably all a similar origin." 



Mr. Lloyd also laid on the table of the Academy a spe- 

 cimen of a very similar substance, which he had received 



