Page:Experimental researches in chemistry and.djvu/419

404 and ruby-violet in the outer thinner portions; a ruby tint is presented occasionally where the heat of the discharge has acted on the deposit. The deposited gold was easily removed by wiping, except actually at the spot where the discharge had passed. When these deposits were heated to dull redness they changed and acquired a ruby tint, which was very fine at the outer and thinner parts. The portions nearer the place of discharge presented ruby-violet and then violet tints, suggesting that accumulation of that which presented a fine ruby tint would, by stopping more and more light, transmit a ruby-violet or violet ray only. Pressure with the agate surface had a like effect as before, both with the heated and the unheated portions, 5. e. with the violet and the ruby particles; but the effect was not altogether so good, and the tint of the transmitted ray was rather a green violet than a pure green. Still the difference produced by the pressure was very remarkable. The unheated particles at the surface, away from the glass, presented by reflexion almost a black; being heated, they became much more golden and metallic in appearance.

I prepared an apparatus by which many of the common metals could be deflagrated in hydrogen by the Leyden battery, and being caught upon glass plates could be examined as to reflexion, transmission, colour, &c., whilst in the hydrogen and in the metallic, yet divided state. The following are briefly the results; which should be considered in connexion with those obtained by employing polarized light. Copper: a fine deposit presenting by reflexion a purplish red metallic lustre, and by transmission a green colour, dark in the thicker parts, but always green; agate pressure increased the reflexion where it was not bright, and a little diminished the transmission, rendering the green deeper, but not changing its character as in the case of gold. Tin gave a beautiful bright white reflexion, and by transmission various shades of light and dark brown; agate pressure diminished the transmission and increased the reflexion in places before dull or dead; the effect appeared to be due simply to the lateral expansion of the separate particles filling up the space. Iron presented a fine steel grey, or slate metallic reflexion and a dark brown transmission; agate pressure gave the same effect as with tin, but no change of colour. Lead: a bright white reflexion, the transmission a dark smoky brown,