OCT, 1007. METEORIC StupiEs II — FARRINGTON ey, 
and visible cracks are, however, all on the front side. That these 
cracks are due to the necessity of a contracted exterior adapting 
itself to a larger interior there can be no doubt. Whether, however, 
their origin is to be ascribed to heating produced by the passage of the 
meteorite through the atmosphere and consequent contraction upon 
cooling, or to slower processes of weathering after its fall is not cer- 
tain. Shrinkage cracks observed upon meteorite crusts at the time of, 
fall are usually of a finer pattern than those here seen and penetrate 
littie below the crust. The rusted character of the interior of this 
meteorite shows that it has long been exposed to the weather. The 
Dofia Inez meteorite, which was exposed to similar climatic condi- 
tions, is described by Howell* as being deeply penetrated by cracks. 
The writer is therefore inclined to regard the cracks in this meteorite 
as due to a slow hydration of the interior of the meteorite, such as 
would be favored by an arid climate. In such a climate, water pene- 
trating into the interior of the meteorite through minute interstices 
would be held and cause hydration, while from the exterior it would 
soon dry away. Minute cracks would thus become wedges which 
would gradually split the meteorite open. The crust of the front side 
while in general smooth, shows irregular patches and clots of fused 
matter abundantly distributed over it. These patches are in general 
darker than the surrounding crust. They are less than % millimeter 
in thickness and a few millimeters broad. They grade, however, into 
grains which scattered over the surface produce a stippled appear- 
ance. Drift phenomena are lacking except, perhaps, for a slight 
divergent arrangement of grains leading out from one or two of 
the pits. 
The rear side of the meteorite as received showed a whitish coating 
in many portions. This effervesces and can be removed by acid and 
is doubtless a carbonate of lime similar to that often observed 
on meteorites which have been exposed for some length of time in arid 
regions. When this coating is removed the true crust can be seen. 
- This is in part black and in part red, but always scoriaceous. It is 
probable that the red color is due wholly to rusting and that the orig- 
inal crust was black. ‘The texture of the crust as seen under the lens 
is quite uniform and minutely cellular throughout. Minute ridges 
and hollows and partially opened blebs indicate fusion with the pro- 
duction of gas bubbles. This crust shows a tendency to flake off as a 
unit when struck with a hammer. It thus has the characters of Bre- 
zina’s ‘‘bark crust.’’ The pittings of this surface are broad, shallow, 
saucer-shaped and confluent. Their diameters average about one 
*Proc. Rochester Acad. Sc., 1890, Vol. 1, p. 93. 
