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 off 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 ofP 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 : — 
" The Recent Meteor discovered in Strathearn. — The meteoric mineral 
discovered Iby Colonel Hunter is formed of layers, covered with laminsB 
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 nieteorolite, and find it to be com- 
posed of the following materials:- — 
Sulphuret of Iron, S3'25 
Sulphuret of Nickel, 17-22 
Oxide of Iron, . . . . . . 15 40 
Carbonate of Iron, ..... 10*00 
Magnesia, lO'lS 
Silica, 14-00 
100 00" 
VOL. III. T 
