54 



ANALYSES OF METEORIC STONES. 



Meteoric stone 

 ot Scanacrn. 



Contained the 

 same princi- 

 ples as basal- 

 tes. 



Its appear- 

 ance. 



Its properties. 



Contains a 



VII. 



Analysis of the Aerolite that fell at Stannern in Morama, the 

 22dof Mat/, I SOS. J3i/ Mr.VAUQUELiN*. 



JL HIS aerolite in its external appearance resembles other 

 productions of the kind. It is covered externally with a 

 brown, vitreous coating or glaze. Interiorly it exhibits a 

 gray substance, interspersed with black ctots; and in several 

 places there are shining laminae, that appear to be pyrites, 

 for they are not attracted by the magnet ; nor does the 

 stone itself act on the magnetic needle. This substance 

 is not homogeneous, for pretty considerable nodules, much 

 blacker than the vest of the stone are visible in it to the na- 

 ked eye. 



Mr. Klaproth, having analysed a specimen of this mine- 

 ral which was sent him in powder, and found it to contain 

 the same constituent principles as basaltes, and nearly in 

 the same j)roporlions, was desirous of a description of it ir^ 

 substance, in order to compare it with basaltes. According- 

 ly Count Unin, who has a very fine specimen of it, has 

 given the following description. 



The surface of the meteorolite of Stannern is fused ; an^ 

 perfectly black. This characteristic, which is peculiar to 

 meteorolites, distinguishes them from other stones. The 

 colour of its substance is a light ashen gray, which is not 

 altered by scraping. Interiorly are perceived more com^ 

 pact grains, and of a darker colour than the rest of the mass. 

 It contains likewise grains of sulphuret of iron, but in small 

 quantity. 



This stone is soft, friable between the fingers, not 

 scratching glass, and giving no sparks with steel. Its 

 specific gravity is 3*19. It fuses with difficulty before the 

 blowpipe into an opake glass, which is attracted by the 

 magnet. 



From the specimen I possess, which I picked up on the 



♦ Annales de Chimie, vol, LXX. p. 321. 



spotj 



