78 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
The larger mass is still in the hands of those who dug it from 
the ground, although their ownership is contested by. one who 
claims to have contracted for the land on which it fell. Their 
ideas regarding its value enlarge daily, the latest announcement 
being, that they should ee insulted at an offer of $5,000. We 
trust their feelings may be spared. 
he supposed ‘Meteorite “of Chicago; from a letter to pg 
editors from ght oressor E. 8. Bastin, dated Chicago, May 2 
1879. * I have concluded that what was claimed to fi a 
meteorite could not have been anything of the kind. A heavy 
shower was in beige at the time (April 9th), ee Ss by 
thunder and lightning, eo according to all accounts at the very 
moment the fragments of the supposed tiene uee were seen to 
dwel 
that stood only a few yaaa: from the koe where most of the 
glowing fragments were seen to fall, were soci as if by light- 
ning, and more or less disturbance was caused in other wires and 
telephones about the neighborhood. Tt is is Peadonabtes I think, to 
conclude that the glowing fragments that were seen to fall to the 
side-walk and to rebound from the roofs of buildings were frag- 
ments of the melted wires heated to incandescence. The frag- 
ments that were picked up that evening and the next morning 
and were claimed to be portions of the meteorite, do not resemble 
any meteoric matter I have ever seen. They look very like the 
slag from an iron furnace, and many fragments very similar to 
them in appearance may be ‘picked up almost anywhere on our 
de 
and 15th of July, and often somewhat later. The position of the 
is one which is free from ice every year, and there is little 
doubt but that the Pfofeniot will be able to carry out his idea of 
ircumnavigating Europe and Asia in the Vega. The party at’ 
the date of writing were all well, and the letters had reached 
os via Kolymsk by the bands of traveling pottine 
. H. DALL. 
of Etna.—The new eruption begat on the 25th 
2 May, and on the 28th, after two days of ejections of fiery 
cinders making clouds and rain of volcanic ashes of great extent, 
¢ 
