C.U. Shepard on a Meteoric Iron? from N. Carolina. 267 
tested after the precipitation of the silica for iron, unattended by 
its detection, even in the minutest trace. The volatile product 
was therefore considered as terchlorid of silicon. : 
But the charge in the tube which had suffered combustion, 
was found to be swollen to three times its original bulk; and was 
for the most part in beautifully perfect hexagonal crystals of a 
blood-red color, like the minute forms of volcanic hematite. 
These crystals were found to possess very remarkable properties, 
a few of which may here be mentioned. : 
The tube in which they were formed was carefully corked, so— 
as to exclude the air. On allowing a few of them to fall into a 
dry test-tube, and held in the sun’s rays, they turned a deep yellow 
with a tinge of green, and quickly ‘coiled up and shrivelled,— 
at the same time, emitting a peculiar ethereal odor. 
n the process of sealing hermetically the tube in which the 
crystals had been formed, a considerable jet of vapor issued from 
the heated end, and burned with a bright light, attended by a 
white smoke. As all moisture had not been excluded from the 
wder, it appeared probable that this combustion was partly to 
ascribed to siliciuretted hydrogen; and the smoke was at- 
tributed to silicic acid. 
The red crystals in the air, out of the sun’s rays, deliquesce 
rapidly, forming a blood-red solution; and are soluble in ether 
id in water: ammonia throws down from either solution, a 
‘mixture of silicic acid and peroxyd of iron. 
On heating the contents of the sealed tube to between 250° 
and 300°, the red crystals are speedily volatilized, and condense 
as ea y_on cooler portions of the tube immediately contiguous, 
7_the precipitated crystals filling the cavity of the tube, and per- 
5 
The un: ales obtained: wetilaved ed dedroul of commu- 
3 nicating i ence Behe ahd tomes vice, to Prof. Wohler of Gét- 
ingen, a chemist who had especiall pe ially occupied himself not only 
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