BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY) CROMWELL ROAD, LONDON, S.W. * * * * * MINERAL DEPARTMENT. * * * * * AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF METEORITES, WITH A LIST OF THE METEORITES REPRESENTED IN THE COLLECTION. BY L. FLETCHER, M.A., F.R.S., KEEPER OF MINERALS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM; FORMERLY FELLOW OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AND MILLARD LECTURER AT TRINITY COLLEGE, OXFORD. * * * * * TENTH EDITION. * * * * * [_This Guide-book can be obtained only at the Museum; written applications should be addressed to "The Director, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, S. W."_] PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES. 1908. [_All rights reserved._] LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W. PREFACE. In the accompanying list, the topographical arrangement has been continued for those meteorites of which the circumstances of the fall are without satisfactory record. This mode of arrangement brings near together fragments which have been found in the same district at different times; in some cases they belong to the same meteoritic fall. As the dates of discovery of the masses and the dates of recognition of meteoric origin, upon which other lists of meteorites are based, have been stated very differently in the publications of the principal museums, a reference in each instance to the best available report, and a brief extract from it, are given. Even as regards the dates of fall of the remaining meteorites there has been much discrepancy in the various lists: every case in which the date here given has been found to differ from that recorded in any other list has been verified by reference to the published reports of the fall. For the convenience of collectors there has been added (page 107) an alphabetical list of those meteorites of which specimens have been first acquired since the issue of the last list (January 1, 1904). L. FLETCHER. _May 1, 1908._ TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE ARRANGEMENT OF THE COLLECTION 7 HISTORY OF THE COLLECTION 8 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF METEORITES 17 LIST OF THE METEORITES REPRESENTED IN THE COLLECTION ON MAY 1, 1908:-- I. Siderites or Meteoric Irons 66 II. Siderolites 91 III. Aerolites or Meteoric Stones 95 LIST OF RECENT ADDITIONS 107 LIST OF BRITISH METEORITES 107 APPENDIX TO THE LIST OF THE METEORITES:-- A. Native Iron (of terrestrial origin) 108