Kunz and Weinschenh — Kansas Aerolite. 67 



and iron are as three to one. The crust on this meteoric stone 

 is black and dull, frequently over 1 ram. in thickness. Macro- 

 scopically the Washington meteorite resembles a doleritic lava, 

 of dark gray color and splintery fracture, with white radiated 

 chondri which protrude from the ground-mass. The speci- 

 mens also contain druses lined with crystals of sulphide of iron, 

 the faces of which are rounded and present the appearance of 

 having flowed through fusion, thereby rendering it impossible 

 to measure the angles. No analysis of this material was made, 

 although from the total lack of oxidation it might have prom- 

 ised good results. 



Nickeliferous iron, which in the fracture, is only slightly 

 visible, becomes conspicuous on a polished surface, showing 

 that it is present in many grains, some exceedingly minute, 

 others up to 4 mm. in diameter. In one instance a vein 10 mm. 

 long and 1 mm. wide penetrated the mass, and on the surface 

 of a polished section appeared bright serpent-like veins. The 

 crust of the meteorite is black, hard and uneven, and the sur- 

 faces - 8 mm. large are dull and often of beadlike form. Under 

 the microscope, the porphyritic character of this meteorite is 

 readily recognized ; radiated and broken chondri and crystals 

 of various minerals make up the microfelsitic groundmass. 



All these are entirely enveloped in an opaque, evidently 

 glassy magma, the dark shade of which gives the color to the 

 whole. This dissolves in cold HC1, imparting a yellow tint to 

 the acid. Heating to redness does not destroy the color, which 

 fact surely precludes the idea of its being due to the presence 

 of any organic matter. Prominent are crystals and fractured 

 masses of olivine, which feature is of rather rare occurrence. 

 This olivine is rich in orientated opaque inclusions, and has 

 also a distinct cleavage, which is seldom observed in olivine. 

 The optical character was perhaps disturbed through the 

 rapidity of its crystallization. 



Distorted undulation is common. Rhombic pyroxene is 

 readily identified, frequently with a fibrous cleavage and mono- 

 symmetric augite ; also the monticellite-like silicate described 

 by Tschermak. The Washington county meteorite belongs 

 to the black chondrites and has the greatest resemblance to the 

 meteorite of Sevenkof. It is undoubtedly not a polygenius 

 conglomerate but was rapidly formed out of the fluid glassy 

 magma. 



The thanks of the clescribers are due to Prof. F. W. Clarke 

 and Mr. L. Gr. Eakins of the U. S. Geological Survey for the 

 analysis, to Prof. Henry A. Ward for facts concerning his 

 mass, and to Mr. Daniel Scheckler of Washington, Kansas, for 

 obtaining one mass and information attending the fall. 



