G. F. Kunz — Meteoric Iron from New Mexico. 287 



face shows the disjuncture very plainly, as also the exact 

 point where this began. The mass measures 15^- inches (39 

 cm.) in length, 12 inches (30 cm.) in width, and 8f inches 

 (22 cm.) at the thickest part, and at the thinner 5 inches (12 cm.) 

 One portion has a peculiar bubbled pasty appearance, as if the 

 mass had been cooled in water at this point. Some of the de- 

 pressions on the surface, or pittings, are 5 cm. across, and quite 

 deep and well-marked. The upper figure on plate Y represents 

 the torn side of this mass. Plate YI shows the Widmannstatten 

 figures produced by etching a surface of a fragment cut from 

 No. 1 ; this plate is printed from an impression taken directly 

 from the etched slab. 



No. 2 weighs 115 lbs. (52*38 kilos.), and measures 16 J 

 inches (41 cm.) in length, 10 inches (24 cm.) in width, and 6-J- 

 inches (16 cm.) in thickness. About one-third of the surface 

 of this piece shows the remarkable rupture, the remainder 

 being covered with the pittings. On one corner there is a por- 

 tion,. 10 inches by 6, which is evidently the spot where the mass 

 struck the rock, Here the pittings are flattened and the whole 

 mass distorted and curled over, giving it a radiated or fan-like 

 appearance. The front, or pitted, side of No. 2 is well exhib- 

 ited in Plate III, and the torn side in Plate Y. 



No. 3 weighs 53|- lbs. (24*263 kilos.), and measures 12 

 inches (30 cm.) in length. 8^- inches (21^- cm.) in height, and 6 

 inches (15 cm.) in thickness in the thickest part. Over five- 

 sixths of the entire surface is pitted, some, of the depressions 

 being 5 cm. across and nearly 2 cm. deep. The place of rup- 

 ture is plain, and the iron here is coarsely fibrous, possibly 

 because it was farther from the point of impact. There is also 

 a fissure about 4 inches (10 cm.) deep and nearly 1 cm. wide, 

 opposite the broken face (see plate IY). In this fissure are 

 two broken ends of chisels which were broken in the attempt 

 to pry off this piece, and which may have enlarged the open- 

 ing. The front side of No. 3 is shown in Plate IY. 



This iron is one of the Holosiderites of Daubrde, and comes 

 under the general group of Caillite of Meunier; it is re- 

 lated to the irons of Augusta County, Virginia, Whitfield 

 County, Georgia, and Washington County, Wisconsin. The 

 iron is of characteristic octahedral structure, and the Widmann- 

 statten figures are made up of kamacite (Balkeneisen or beam- 

 iron), i. e. iron with little nickel, enveloped in taenite (Bancl- 

 eisen), rich in nickel, and plessite (Fiilleisen).* On the single 

 cut made, one field of dark plessite measured 17 mm. by 8 mm., 

 the kamacite from *5 mm. to 2 mm. in breadth. The tasnite 

 was abundant and brilliant. 



* Die Meteoriten Sammlung des k. k. mineralogischen Hof-Kabiuetes in "Wien. 

 Am. 1. Mai, 1885, by Dr. Aristides Brezina; (Separat-Abdruck aus dern Jahr- 

 buch der k. k. geol. Reichsanstalt, for 1885, vol. xxxv, No. 1). 



