WITHDRAWN FROM THE ACTION OF GRAVITY. G43 



cylindrical surface, and those of the constrictions on the contrary 

 are internal to this same surface, Ave can imagine in the figure a 

 series of plane sections perpendicular to the axis, and all having 

 a diameter equal to that of the cylinder ; these sections will evi- 

 dently constitute the limits which separate the dilated from the 

 constricted portions, so that each portion, whether constricted 

 or dilated, will be terminated by two of them ; moreover, as the 

 two solid bases are necessarily part of the sections in question, 

 each of these bases should occupy the very extremity of a con- 

 stricted or dilated portion. This being granted, three hypotheses 

 present themselves in regard to these two portions of the figure, 

 i. e. to those which rest respectively upon each of the solid bases. 

 In the first place, w'e may suppose that both of the portions are 

 expanded. In this case, each of the constrictions will transfer 

 the liquid which it loses to the two dilatations immediately ad- 

 jacent to it ; the movements of transport of the liquid will take 

 place in the same manner throughout the whole extent of the 

 figure, and the transformation will take place with perfect regu- 

 larity, giving rise to isolated spheres exactly equal in diameter, 

 and at equal distances apart. This regularity will not however 

 extend to the two extreme dilatations ; for as each of these is 

 terminated on one side by a solid surface, it will only receive 

 liquid from the constriction which is situated on the other side, 

 and will therefore acquire less development than the intermediate 

 dilatations. Under these circumstances, then, after the termi- 

 nation of the phaenomenon we ought to find two portions of 

 spheres respectively adherent to two so) id bases, each presenting 

 a slightly less diameter than that of the isolated spheres arranged 

 between them. 



In the second place, we may admit that the terminal portions 

 of the figure are, one a constriction and the other a dilatation. 

 The liquid lost by the first, not being then able to traverse the 

 solid base, will necessarily all be driven into the adjacent dilata- 

 tion ; so that, as the latter receives all the liquid necessary to its 

 development on one side only, it will receive none from the op- 

 posite side ; consequently all the liquid lost by the second con- 

 striction will flow in the same manner into the second dilatation, 

 and so on up to the last dilatation. Tiie distribution of the 

 movements of transport will therefore still be regular throughout 

 the figure, and the transformation will ensue in a perfectly 

 regular manner. This regularity will evidently extend even to 



