[ 107 J 



XV. On New Falls of Meteoric Stones. 

 To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal. 



Gentlemen, 



SOME weeks ago I received a letter from Professor Joaquin 

 Balcells of Barcelona, stating that lie had heard of a large 

 fall of meteorites, accompanied by tremendous detonations, said 

 to have taken place at Can ell as, near Villanova in Catalonia, at 

 some distance from Barcelona, on the 14th of May this year. 

 I have just received from him another letter dated the 27th of 

 June, enclosing an account of his expedition to Canellas for the 

 purpose of procuring additional information, and also, if possible, 

 some specimens. I give the following translation of this part of 

 his letter : — 



"There is no doubt that stones really fell on May 14 at 

 about 1 p.m. ; but the greater number are lost, from having fallen 

 with such violence upon the arable land that they could not be 

 found. Two or three fell, however, upon rocks, which they 

 penetrated and cut up to a depth of 5 inches (ponces) in a direc- 

 tion towards N.E. at an angle of 45°. They broke into pieces with 

 a tremendous noise and great light. The largest specimen only 

 weighed 18 ounces, and is already destined for the Natural 

 History Museum at Madrid. The second specimen which I saw, 

 was destined for the Professor of Physics, Sefior Arba of Barcelona. 

 I likewise saw other specimens of from 5 to 9 grammes in weight, 

 which were in the hands of the peasants, who would not part 

 with them at any price, because they fancied that these stones, - 

 coming from heaven, would bring them good luck. From this 

 cause I was only able to procure for myself one small fragment 

 of 5 grammes weight." 



An aerolitic fall is mentioned in c Cosmos ' for April 26, 1861, 

 as having taken place at Tocane St. Apre in Dordogne, France ; 

 an aerolite fell on the 14th of February, 1861, with a streak of 

 fire (without noise apparently), in the market place of that town; 

 it weighed only 7 grammes, and is now deposited in the museum 

 of the department at Dordogne. 



Another meteoric stone in all probability fell last year on the 

 8th or 9th of June, about two miles from Raphoe in Co. Donegal, 

 Ireland, on the farm of Dr. M'Clintock of Raphoe, about 2 p.m. 

 It was about the size of a hen's egg, and fell during a storm of 

 thunder, lightning, and hail. It resembled a friable sandstone ; 

 but it does not appear there was either any black crust to it, or 

 that there was any fire-ball seen at the time. This fall is men- 

 tioned in the 'Londonderry Sentinel' of June 15, 1860. It 

 appears that one portion of this stone has been lost or mislaid, 



