On Flame. 361 



would account fur the extinction of phosphorus, Sec. whsn in- 

 troduced. 



In order to corroborate the solution I have proffered of the 

 principle of security exhibited in the phEeuoriiena of Sir H. Davy's 

 lamp, I mav remark, that those persons who wear veils are sen- 

 sible of a glow of heat exceeding the common temperature. 

 Now in this instance the aqueous vapour which evolves in re- 

 spiration fills up the open meshes of the veil, and from the in- 

 terior surface the caloric is reflected back to the face. Either 

 this is a correct solution, or it is accounted for by supposing? that 

 the calorific particles radiating in right lines, are interrupted in 

 their rectilinear path by the fibres of the meshes, and being 

 thus broken they are confined within the veil: surely the for- 

 mer speaks more the Luiguage of fact. 



When the flame of a candle is viewed at a given distance 

 through a good magnifying lens, it appears composed of a (.wi- 

 neries of Jil'res wider at bottom, and approximating towards 

 the summit, where they are bundled or tied together, being no 

 doubt so many jets of aeriform inflammable matter expelled by 

 heat. 



Mr. Svm, in the last number of The Annals of Philosophy, 

 savsjthat by pressing the apex of the flaming cone the tempera- 

 ture will be decreased. This may be naturally expected, and is 

 easily explained. The top of the flame is as it were the focus 

 where the fibres of flame are connected. By pressing upon the 

 cone, this focus is destroyed. The fact of not being able to see 

 objects through the upper part of the flame, while they can be 

 readily discerned through tiie lower film, is proof positive that 

 flame is transparent under certain forms — here it is attenuated. 



The blue colour at the base of flame is worthy of particular 

 notice. It is likely that the fibres of flame constituting this 

 cone are so many capillary tubes into which the volatilized mat- 

 ter ascends by capillary attraction, and that oxygenous air cir- 

 culates round the individual fibre. As they gradually approxi- 

 mate when the\ come towards the apex of the cone, there will 

 be less and less space for the circulation of oxygen, and conse- 

 quently the carbon will be more completely consumed toward 

 the base than toward the middle or summit: — this will well illus- 

 trate Sir H. Davy's experiments on flame, which I read with con^ 

 siderable interest. 



If an oxvgenous medium obtained in the interior of the cone 

 of flame, i see no reason why it should not be a solid column. 

 By igniting alcohol, &;c. (without a wick) a hollow interior will 

 be still found by pressing the apex. 



No doubt in the phsenomenu of combustion and production 



of 



