On Meteorites. 101 
sions, has been observed floating in the wake of the fire-ball, after 
the latter has disappeared. Several people assert that such a smoke 
was also seen accompanying the Tysnes meteorite. The fallen 
Fig. 1. The Tysnes Meteorite. 
stones show various signs of intense heating in the atmosphere, to 
which we want to direct the attention. In some cases, when stones 
have been taken up shortly after striking the ground, they have 
still been warm. In one instance it has been related that the fallen 
stone was at first so hot as to burn the fingers, and afterwards turned 
so cold that it could not be held in the hand for that reason. This 
may be regarded as very probable, when we consider that the heat- 
ing in the atmosphere only lasts a few seconds, and that its action, 
Consequently, must be quite superficial. Space, on the other hand, 
as an exceedingly low temperature, and the freezing coldness of 
the interior of the stone will therefore soon lower the temperature 
of the surface. 
The interior of the meteoric stones, as a rule, is gray or whitish ; 
the exterior, on the contrary, is covered with a blackish crust, which, 
on examination, proves to be the stony substance, having undergone 
a melting process. It is difficult to tell what shape the meteorites — 
have before entering our atmosphere, as we only gather bits and 
fragments after the explosion. These show the effect of the com- 
Pressed and intensely-heated air. The edges of the fragments, 
originally sharp, have become rounded, and on the surface there 
appear deepened marks, many of which look as if the stone had 
