54 
RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 
chloride of mercury in the cold, the sulphide of iron being unacted 
upon under these circumstances. The latter method of purification 
was chosen. *18 gram of iron was extracted from *52 gram of 
the original powdered sulphide by allowing the latter to stand 
for twenty-four hours with a concentrated solution of mercuric 
chloride in the cold. This is equal to 34*6 per cent. 
The purified troilite had a specific gravity of 4*645 (uncorr.), and 
an analysis of *2408 gram, gave : — 
Residue trace. 
Iron 62*01 
Nickel and Cobalt *89 
Sulphur 38*28 
101*38 
From the analysis of the iron it will be noticed that the quantity 
of nickel present is unusually small. It is not exceptionally so, 
for several irons have been previously analysed containing about 
a similar or even smaller quantity. 
An examination of the Widmanstatten figures shews the iron 
to be an octahedrite whose width of lamellae vary from 1mm. to 
2*5mm., the greater number, however, lying between the limits 
of 1mm. and 2mm. Following Dr. A. Brezina* in his provisional 
system of classification, it would be placed in Group 47, containing 
octahedrites with broad lamellae (symbol Og) and therefore classed 
with the Cranbourne (Victoria) and Youndegin (W . Australia) 
meteorites more closely, and with the Oowra (N.S. Wales), 
Moonbi (N. S. Wales), Temora (N. S. Wales), Mungindi (Queens- 
land), and Thunda (Queensland) meteorites as being with them 
an iron having an octahedral crystalline structure. The Nocoleche 
iron, however, agrees much more closely with the Murfreesboro 
one, both as regards crystalline structure and relative proportions 
of iron and nickel. The two figures given by Dr. A. Brezinaf of 
the latter would very well represent the structure of the former, 
there being merely a slight difference in the average width of the 
lamellse. 
The percentages of iron and nickel in the Murfreesboro iron 
given by de Troost,J are as follows : — 
Iron 96*0 
Nickel 2*4 
Residue 1*6 
100*0 
* Ann. K. K. Naturhist. Hofmus. Wien., x., 3-4, 1895, p. 85. 
f Ibid , p. 276. 
J Silliman’s Amer. Journ. Sci. (2), v., p. 351, and ibid., xv., p. 6. 
