Prof. Rogers's Experiments on some Sonorous Flames. 261 



I am awave that the Crustacea and Mollusca from Syria have 

 not escaped the notice and observations of former travellers, but 

 from the number of the Crustacea, I think it has more importance 

 in a geological bearing than as yet it has received. 

 I am, Gentlemen, 



Yours truly, 



Francis M. Jennings. 



XXXIV. Experiments on some Sonorous Flames. 

 By Prof. \\. B. Rogers, Boston, U.S. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal. 



Clapham Common, 

 Gentlemen, ^--^ H' 1858. 



I ENCLOSE an extract from a letter I have this day received 

 from Professor W. B. Rogers of Boston, U.S., describing 

 some interesting experiments made by him on sonorous flames. 

 You may probably consider them of sufficient interest for mser- 

 tion in the Philosophical Magazine. 



Believe me. 



Yours truly, 



John P. Gassiot. 



1 Temple Place, Boston, 

 My dear Sir, Febmarj^ 15, 1858. 



In my former hurried note I alluded to some experiments I 

 was making on sonorous flames. I have since ascertained that 

 the presence of a wick does not prevent the musical vibration. 

 In a tapering jet-pipe, one-tenth of au inch in diameter, I inserted 

 a wick of loose cotton twine or of asbestos, so as to project some 

 distance into the flame of common illuminating gas burned at 

 the extremity, and I found it easy, by a proper adjustment of the 

 flame and enclosing glass tube, to obtain a clear musical note. 



After various attempts to secure the same result with alcohol 

 and other combustible liquids burned directly from wicks, I have 

 found that by using hollow circular loicks, and tubes but shghtly 

 exceeding them in diameter, we can readily produce the musical 

 effect with the flames of sulphuric fcther, alcohol, and the mixture 

 of the latter with spirits of turpentine, which in this country is 

 known as burning fluid. 



As the effect in these experiments depends on the access to 

 the flame of a current of air of definite amount and velocity and 

 in proper directions, it is necessary to adjust the diameter of the 

 wick and size of the flame to the dimensions of the tube cm- 

 ployed, and to hold the tube with its lower edge a little lower 



