﻿Chevalier W. von Haidinger on the Fall of Meteorites. 247 



scribed, figured, and discussed these " seams and wrinkles " as 

 they appear on the crust of the meteorites of Stannern (Moravia, 

 1808). 



3. Professor A. Daubree has greatly added to our knowledge 

 of meteorites, both by enlarging the collection of the Museum 

 d'Histoire Naturelle (somewhat neglected in this respect pre- 

 viously*), and by his theoretical investigations on this subject, 

 especially by experiments concerning the artificial production 

 of meteoroid substances. He has lately published his notices 

 on the meteoric fall of Orgueil (May 14, 1864), communicated 

 to the Paris Academy at eight meetings, between May 16 and 

 November 14, 1864, together with notices on those of Tourinne- 

 la-Grosse (December 7, 1863), of Aumale in Algeria (August 

 25, 1865), of St. Mesmin (May 30, 1866), and of Setif in 

 Algeria (June 9, 1867). It must, however, be remarked that 

 the learned Professor of the Jardin des Plantes ne^er men- 

 tions von Haidinger' s observations or views about meteorites, 

 except (p. 8) where he quotes, verbo tenus, a passage concerning 

 the means of discerning the position of meteorites during their 

 course through cosmical space. 



4. Comparison of theoretical views. — Von Haidinger distin- 

 guishes two periods in the existence of any meteorite : (1) from 

 its primordial formation down to the completion of the body en- 

 tering the terrestrial atmosphere ; (2) from its entering into the 

 atmosphere down to its fall on the earth's surface. This last 

 period, being the subject of direct observation, must be especially 

 treated here, although the former, still to be studied in many 

 respects, cannot be left entirely out of discussion. 



5. A. Phenomena connected with meteorites. — No qualities of 

 matter or forces except those known at present can be admitted 

 in explaining these phenomena. As early as March 14, 1861, 

 von Haidinger distinguished the consecutive phases as fol- 

 lows : — 



(1) A fragment pursuing its way meets the upper limit of the 

 terrestrial atmosphere. 



(2) Its cosmical velocity meets a resistance, and, in conse- 

 quence, suffers diminution. 



(3) Meantime pressure developes light and heat, the meteorite 

 rotates, and an enamelled crust forms on its surface. 



(4) The heated stratum of air agglomerates to an " igneous 

 globe " behind the meteor. 



(5) The meteor having reached the term of its cosmic course 

 becomes stationary. 



(6) The development of light and heat ceases ; the surround- 



* On December 15, 1863, the Museum specimens numbered 86 from dif- 

 ferent localities ; on March 31, 1868, the number had increased to 203. 



