Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 28.djvu/19

1871.] after previously heating them gently, with a varnish made of shellac dissolved in nearly absolute alcohol. He considered it probable that a meteoric mass falling with immense velocity might so shatter itself as to cause some of its fragments to enclose fragments of basalt, and even to impregnate the neighbouring mass of basalt with minute particles of the metallic iron; but he considered the question of meteoric origin could only be decided by examining the same mass of basalt at some greater distance from the stones themselves, so as to prove whether the presence of such metallic iron was actually characteristic of the entire mass of the rock.

Prof. referred to the general nature of meteorites and to their mineral relationship to the planetary bodies, and remarked that, supposing the earth to have in part an elementary metallic core, eruptive igneous matter might occasionally bring native iron to the surface.

Mr. mentioned that he had been present at the exhumation of the Melbourne meteorite, and that at that time there was little or no trace of any formation of ferrous chloride, the external crust on the meteorite being not above 1/32 inch in thickness.

2. On the of the. By, Esq., of Queenstown, Cape Colony.

Geographical features.—In travelling from the colony to the diamond-fields on the banks of the Vaal, the last shales similar to those of the Great Stormberg basin are met with at a short distance from