Fireball observed near Auchterarder, Perthshire. 65 



after twenty-four hours had passed, with heavy rain, he was 

 so impressed with the truth of the fall, that he went to see 

 if he could discover anything in the field. He was soon 

 attracted by the peculiar appearance of a stone which lay 

 in a prominent position in the grass, quite in the place 

 where the meteor seemed to him to fall. The stone had 

 a sulphureous smell, and the grass around it was black- 

 ened ; it was twelve ounces in weight, and was lying on 

 the surface of the ground. The stone was dry and crumbly 

 in its nature, and when handled gave of! large dusty par- 

 ticles. It measured 5 inches long by 3 across, was about 1 

 inch in thickness, and was hollowed out on one side, as if it 

 had scaled off from a larger body ; its inner portion had also 

 a metallic appearance. Colonel Hunter being no minera- 

 logist, was naturally anxious to learn something about this 

 rather peculiar-looking stone, which his servant had found 

 in the very place where the fire-ball was seen apparently to 

 fall ; he accordingly gave part of it to a neighbouring chemist 

 for examination, and was furnished with a detailed analysis. 

 The result of this examination having been published in the 

 Edinburgh newspapers, I quote from them the following 

 particulars : — 



11 The Recent Meteor discovered in Strathearn. — The meteoric mineral 

 discovered by Colonel Hunter is formed of layers, covered with laminas 

 of iron pyrites of a beautiful yellow colour, and metallic lustre. Some of 

 the layers are crystalline, having a black metallic appearance, others are 

 massive and friable, of red and grey colours, interspersed with bright 

 crystalline specks. It is not magnetic, but has a strong sulphurous smell ; 

 its specific gravity is 2 "360. "When subjected to a red heat, it is changed 

 into a brown porous mass, like the sesquioxide of iron, which shows that 

 it must have been in a state of fusion so long as it retained the electric 

 fluid in a condensed and intense form, and in cooling assumed a crystalline 

 structure. Had it continued in its original state when sustained and 

 carried along by the electrical energy, which possesses a most intense 

 heat, its appearance would not be altered by subjecting it to the heat of 

 a common fire. I have analysed this meteorolite, and find it to be com- 

 posed of the following materials:- — 



Sulphuret of Iron, 33*25 



Sulphuret of Nickel, 1722 



Oxide of Iron, . ..... 15 40 



Carbonate of Iron, ..... 10 00 



Magnesia, . . . . . . 1013 



Silica, 14-00 



100 00 " 



VOL. III. T 



