Chase.] ^^ [April 21, 



Log. of Di- and Tetratomic probability; log. 2'^ — 8.5982287 = 12.5242813 

 " Metallic " " 2^' — 2.4334051= 5.6944049 



" Total Artiad " 18.2186862 



" Aggregate, Per. and Art. " 25.7081898 



" Mean " .4016920 



By reference to Notes 181 and 183, it will be seen that the aggregate 

 probability of atmospheric phyllotactic influence is more than 37.6 times 

 as great as that of simple phyllotactic influence, more than 4510 times as 

 great as that of Gerber's divisors, more than 210363 times as great as that 

 of the hydrogen divisor, or more than 2,083,840,000,000,000,000 times as 

 great as that of the first surd divisor. 



203. Precijdtability. 



The Philosophical Magazine for March 1882, contains two papers, one 

 by Mills and Bicket, the other by Mills and Hunt, on chemical equiva- 

 lence, as estimated by "equivalent precipitability of sulphates, by sodic 

 carbonate, from an aqueous solution." Among the conclusions which 

 they have drawn from their work the following seem to be especially 

 noteworthy :— 1. Precipitability is a linear function of mass. 2. There 

 is some evidence that the precipitabilities of the commixed and separate 

 sulphates are mathematically i-elated in a simple manner. 3. Within 

 moderate limits, precipitation is not traceably afflected by temperature. 

 4. Two elements belong to the same group when, in saline solutions of 

 identical genus, they may be equally precipitable. The simplicity and 

 character of these conclusions are such as to suggest sethereal influence, a 

 suggestion which is strengthened by the final equation, v =■ d = .3819 ; > 

 and d being, respectively, the ratio of precipitability to the quantity of 

 nickelous and cadmic sulphate taken. The ratio is the same, to the 

 fourth decimal place, as the first surd divisor in extreme and mean ratio, 

 .381966, thus indicating a beginning of phyllotactic tendency which is 

 very satisfactory. 



204. Electrical Conductivity of Gases. 



Edlund (P. Mag. [5] xiii, 201), cites the experiments of Edm. Becquerel 

 {Ann. de Ch. et de Ph. [3] xxxix, 377), showing "that gases begin to be 

 conductors when heated to the temperature of redness, after Avhich their 

 conductivity increases in proportion as the temperature rises above that 

 point," the conductivity increasing as the density of the gas diminishes. 

 This approach to the sethereal condition is also an approach to the 

 fundamental a^thereal vis viva, which is shown by the identity of velocity 

 in the propagation of luminous undulations, the electrical "ratio," and 

 the gravitating reactions of stellar rotation. 



