254 ON D£ATH niOM COLO. 



• »» 



Capillary ac- The climinution of the effect of the tension of the surfaces 

 titni of fluids. r ^i i- • i* i i i- ■.. ^ i 



of the drop, n\ consequence of their obliquity, appears to be 



exactly counteracted by the force derived from the curvature 

 of the hoHzoiital aciion ; and the film left on the surface 

 Seems to occasion a resislahce to all motion, which renders 

 it thfficult to observe the slight mutual attractions of the 

 drops M'hich must arise from the mi^iule depressions that sur- 

 round them, 



I am, SIR, 



Your obedient humble servant, 

 \6 November. ALETES. 



III. 



On a Kind of Death j that may he presumed to be only appa- 

 rent: by Mr. Du Pont de Nemours. Read at the Jirst 

 Class of the Institute, Oct, 28, 1806=^\ 



:feffccts of heat J[t bas long been known, that the effects of heat and cold 

 to the body td ^'^''Y according to the nature of the bodit^s that are exposed 

 ■which it is ap- to them. ExtrenK* heat is necessary to liquefy steel, plfl- 

 ^^^ ' lina, or good porcelain : lead requires far le^s ; and a por- 



tion much smaller still is sufficient for frozen water. On the 

 otliet hand, the degree of cold refitiisite tb render mercuiy 

 feolid is very great; u-hile that wliich forms ice is very mode- 

 rate. 

 Some vegeta- Among vegetables there are many, the living principle of 



bles not killed ^v|,j(«h resists the stronsrest frosts, these only occasioning dis- 

 by the severest . " -^ . =* 



frosts case in them, or, it I may Use the term, setting them asleep. 



Leaves de- Our native trees lose their leaves in winter, without their 

 ctroye y i , stems being injured. Many of our herbaceous plants lose 

 and stalks: their stalks, though their roots retains their functions. There 

 but some roots are plants still more robust, which, after their roots have 

 ihouffh'frozcn. ^^*^'^ frozen in the ground, into which, the frost has penetrated 

 several feet beneath their ramificattons, revive notwithstand- 

 ing at the return of spring. 



* Archircs Htfdralre.f, Vol, XIII, p. 8. 



