316 



G. F. Kunz — New American Meteorites. 



Mr. Eakins and a microscopical examination of the crystals by 

 Mr. J. S. Diller, of the United States Geological Survey, fully 

 prove. 



This group of meteorites, which has recently come to me 

 for description, possesses more than ordinary interest, on ac- 

 count both of the peculiar composition and structure and also 

 of the undoubted ethnological relation, especially because of 

 its probable connection with the meteoric iron found in the 

 Turner mounds. 



In the spring of 1883, Professor F. W. Putnam found on 

 the altar of mound No. 3 of the Turner group of mounds, in 

 the Little Miami "Valley, Ohio, several ear-ornaments made of 

 iron, and several others overlaid with iron. "With these were 

 also fonnd a number of separate pieces that were thought to 

 be iron. They were covered with cinders, charcoal, pearls 

 [two bushels were found in this group of mounds], and other 

 material, cemented by an oxide of iron, showing that the 

 whole had been subjected to a high temperature. On remov- 

 ing the scale, Dr. Kennicutt found that they were made of 

 iron of meteoric origin.* One of the pieces weighed 28 and 

 the other 52 grains. 



In the autumn of 1883, a mass was found on the altar of 

 mound No. 4 of this same group, which weighed Y67'5 grams 

 [27'25 ounces]. Dr. Kennicutt suggested that these were all 

 parts of some larger meteoric mass. The results of the inves- 

 tigation were published in connection with the description of 

 the Atacama meteorites, because in structure they approach 

 more closely to the latter than to those of any other occurrence 

 known at that time. In the Liberty group of mounds in the 

 same valley, Professor Putnam found a celt five inches long, 

 and in another of the Turner mounds an ornament five inches 

 long and three inches wide, made also of the same meteoric 

 iron. 



* Sixteenth and seventeenth reports of the Peabody Museum of Archjeologv, 

 p. 382. 



