208 
ME. N. STOEY-MASKELYNE ON THE 
nodule, partly from a portion of the meteorite consisting entirely of silicates, was sub- 
mitted to the action of a mixture of one of hydrogen chloride and two of water for sixty- 
six hours at ordinary temperatures. Some sulphuretted hydrogen was given off and 
4*419 per cent, dissolved. By a further treatment of the insoluble portion with soda 
T204 per cent, was removed from it. The acid had dissolved 0*501 per cent, silica, an 
amount of calcium corresponding to 1*285 per cent, of Oldhamite, 1*896 per cent, of 
magnesia, and 0*564 per cent, of iron. The oxygen ratios of the silica and magnesia 
dissolved are as 0*91 to 0*758, and show that of the 3*601 per cent, magnesian silicates 
extracted about 2*65 per cent, was olivine, the residue being enstatite*. 
A formula for the augite rather richer in lime would no doubt give a truer statement 
of the composition ; but it is as impossible to separate the small amount of enstatite 
intercalated in the layers of the augite, as it is to distinguish and remove the latter 
mineral from the enstatite with which it appears in general to be so intimately blended. 
IX. The Action of Acids on the Enstatite and Augite. 
As it appeared of some importance to determine the degree to which these meteoric 
minerals were soluble in the acids used for separating the silicates of a meteorite, and 
whether an olivinous constituent could he found in the Busti aerolite associated with 
the enstatite, or with some other silicate, the augite and the enstatite described in the 
previous sections were submitted to this solvent action. Alternately digested for many 
hours at 100° C. in strong hydrogen chloride, diluted with its volume of water and in 
caustic potash for ten or twelve hours to remove the separated silica, each of the three 
* In 1863 Mr. William Dancee analysed some of this powder from the cutting of this meteorite in the 
Laboratory of Professor Bunsen at Heidelberg. 
The results, which he was so good as to place in my hands, were as follow : — 
Si 0 2 
= 
52-73 
Mg 6 
= 
37-22 
EeO 
= 
4-28 
MnO 
0-01 
Ca 0 
1-18 
NiO 
= 
0-78 
CaS0 4 
= 
1-58 
Ca 3 PO s 
trace 
Ca Cl 
= 
0-01 
NaS 
= 
0-76 
KO 
= 
trace 
LiO 
= 
trace 
HO 
= 
0-92 
99-47 
“The mass of the stone,” he says, “is evidently a monosilicate of magnesia, lime, potash, and lithia; the 
iron and nickel existing in small particles as nickel-iron together with a small portion of manganese. The per- 
centage of substance soluble in water is 1-03 ; this consists of sulphide of sodium, chloride of calcium, sulphate 
of lime, and traces of lithia and potash.” Of course from such material as was in Mr. Dancee’s hands it was 
impossible for him to separate the different minerals. 
