Notice of a Mass of Meteoric Iron. 



397 



measure each about inches in length ; and one of these 

 sides (showing a dimpled outline), from the oblique position 

 of this lozenge-shaped extremity to the general mass of the 

 meteorite, forms its small terminal edge, or pointed extremity. 



The whole shape of this piece of meteoric iron suggests the 

 idea, that when its fall took place, the extremity, now the 

 smaller and more pointed, first reached the earth, which, from 

 its resistance, crushed the glowing and softened mass into 

 these peculiarly flattened surfaces of its pyramidal extremity, 

 bending even the oblique point itself a little upwards and 

 backwards ; while the larger extremity, though slightly flat- 

 tened below, where it struck the ground, still shows in the 

 projecting masses of its upper surface, the part least affected 

 by the shock of its terrible descent through our atmosphere, 

 to bury itself in terra firma. 



Size. — The mass of iron measures lOf inches in its greatest 

 length, and 7 inches across the widest part, about the middle 

 of its length ; the larger blunt-edged extremity measuring 6 

 inches across. Its circumference round the larger extremity 

 is 1 foot 3 inches ; round the large lobular projection (about 

 the middle of the mass) its widest part, 1 foot inches ; 

 while within 1J inches of the point, it measures only 9J inches 

 in circumference. 



Weight — It weighed 32 lbs. 11 ounces 1J drachms avoir- 

 dupois, equal to 39*60 lbs. troy. 



Specific Gravity. — The specific gravity of the entire mass, 

 Dr Murray Thomson informs me, is 6*517. 



Colour. — The external surface of this meteoric iron is of a 

 dark reddish brown, approaching in some parts to black ; and 

 the lobulated parts show here and there, especially in the 

 furrows which divide them, spots of a brighter red colour, 

 due apparently to the partial oxidation of its surface. 



Photographs. — The general appearance of the meteorite 

 is well shown in the photographs exhibited. These have 

 been beautifully taken by Mr Alexander M'Coll. The mass 

 of metal was laid on the 8vo vol. of the Royal Physical 

 Society's Proceedings, which thus gives a correct idea of its 

 relative size and proportions ; and, when the second picture 

 was taken, the volume was turned quite round, without touch- 



