Characters of the Fisher Meteorite .— Winehell. 173 
rocks are present which are not unlike the more typical areas 
in other parts of the American continent. Allowing 500 feet 
for the rest of the upper Coal Measures the total maximum 
thickness of the Paleozoic at the Missouri river is about 3,000 
feet. 
With reliable data relative to the thickness of the Paleozoic 
succession in the various parts of the region the stratigraphi- 
cal problems become greatly simplified in certain directions; 
and the ordinary deep wells may be expected to supply facts 
which were heretofore not seriously considered. 
MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS OF THE FISHER 
METEORITE (MINNESOTA NO. 1 ). 
By N. H. Winchell, Minneapolis, Minn. 
This stone, which fell April 9, 1894, was briefly announced 
in the American Geologist (vol. 14, p. 389, Dec., 1894) when 
the circumstances attending its descent were also stated so 
far as they are of any scientific value. 
The stone is covered with a thick brown crust showing the 
wavy fluidal surface, indicating fusion by the application of 
heat to the exterior. It is pitted with the usual depressions 
and prominences. Of the two pieces that fell one was immedi¬ 
ately broken up by the farmers, who desired, as they said, to 
know whether any gold was inside of it. The fragments were 
scattered amongst them, and some were taken into North Da¬ 
kota. The other remains entire. That which was broken up 
was the larger; the smaller one weighs about nine and a half 
pounds. Several of the pieces of the larger mass have been 
recovered, and from these this description was written, except 
as to the exterior appearance, which is described as it occurs 
on the smaller mass. The coating, however, on the smaller 
fragments has no noticeable difference from that on the mass 
preserved entire.* 
The specific gravity of the stone is 3.44. 
The color is light gray, but flecked with rustiness from oxi¬ 
dation of the iron. The iron is not abundant, but in isolated 
V 
grains varying in size from a mere speck to 1.5 or 2 mm. in di¬ 
ameter. The broken surface glitters with scattered bronzy 
reflections, apparently of troilite. 
*The mass preserved is in the museum of the University of Minne¬ 
sota. Several of the pieces of the mass broken up are in the possession 
of Mr. Geo. Kunz, of New York. 
