444 Prof. FORBES on the Vibrations which take place 



ducting powers of the metals for heat, made with FOURIER'S 

 Thermometer of Contact, which enabled me, where discrepan- 

 cies occurred between previous observers, to ascertain the truth, 

 and to add some new metals to the list. In the case of electri- 

 city, I was a good deal surprised to find observers more at one, 

 than in that of heat. The result of these inquiries, which for a 

 time withdrew my attention from the immediate subject under 

 consideration, is contained in a paper read to the Royal Society 

 of Edinburgh on the 7th January 1833*. 



35. The general conclusion at which I then arrived is thus 

 stated in the paper alluded to : That the arrangement of metallic 

 conductors of heat does not differ more from that of those of elec- 

 tricity than either arrangement does alone under the hands of dif- 

 ferent observers. I shall here quote the provisional arrangements 

 which I have given in that paper, and compare them with the 

 order of vibrations which we have recorded above. 



* The analogy to which I allude was observed by me in autumn 1831 ; and 

 the experiments described in the paper just quoted were made between that period 

 and February 1832. 



\ On the subject of the conducting powers for electricity, a beautiful illustration 

 of the application of new discoveries in science to branches already known, has oc- 

 curred to me since forming these lists. Mr FARADAY has shewn, that, according to 



