Note: Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused
crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid
passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may
consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small
percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite).
When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline
figures, called Widmanst["a]tten figures. 2. Of a
cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates
(mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of
silicates with little iron (meteoric stone,
sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron
(asiderite).