308 Fusion- Structuret^ in Meteorites. 



Fig. 1 is taken from (Slide A. 1: Longt.) a .section of scoria 

 from the Sandwicli Islands. The strnctnre ])olarizes, bnt not 

 sirongly. A glance at the drawing Avill show the similai'ity 

 with the forms fonnd in meteorites. This, as all figures on 

 Plate XXI, is magnified 300 I). 



Fig. 2 is taken from a section of basalt (LT. S. Geol. Expl., 

 40th Parallel ; north of Amoricaii Flat Creek, Washoe). Polai'- 

 izes very finely. 



Fig, 3 is from a section of rhyolite. (U. S. Geol. Expl., 40th 

 Parallel; N. E. slopes River Eange, Nev.) This section ap- 

 pears grey by ordinary light, with a faint tinge of yellow. 

 Only very small parts of the section polarize at all. The struc- 

 tures appear very much like long and curved tubes filled with 

 minute grey dots. The sack-like form in the left part of the 

 field is filled with darker-a])pearing ])articles. 



Fig. 4 is from a section of lava from Mt. Vesuvius, Italy 

 (E. Slide 10 : Transverse). Polarizes veiy finely. This figure 

 is part of a large structure hexagonal in shape. 



Fig. 5 is from tufaceous trachyte of Lighthouse Kock, 

 Colorado River (C. Slide 6 : Longt.). This structure also polar- 

 izes finely. 



o 



And now, having finished the experimental part of the in- 

 vestigation, and having recorded the results obtained and the 

 observations made, it must be considered, to what inferences 

 these will lead, to what conclusions they Avill entitle us. 



The problem to be solved is, then, to word it once more : 

 What are these peculiar foiiiiations occurring in meteorites, and 

 to what force or forces do they owe their existence ? 



The answer to this is to be sought and found in the observa- 

 tions noted on preceding pages ; a brief resume, however, will 

 j)lace the matter in a clearer light. 



In the first place, the existence of these peculiar formations 

 has been established in a considerable number of different me- 

 teorites, which fell at different times and on different parts of 

 the globe. A careful examination has shown that, in every 

 case, these formations exhibit certain constant, recurring forms 

 of outline and structure, that stamp them as a distinct class of 

 mineral bodies. 



