448 THE CHEMISTRY OF CREATION. 



Mr Kussell describes another class of waves 

 which he calls Capillary. These minute waves 

 are amongst those phenomena which we most 

 frequently see. When the glassy surface of a 

 lake is broken into countless ripples by the 

 influence of a gentle breeze, the wavelets thus 

 produced are capillary waves. They are mere 

 oscillations of the superficial layer of water, 

 extending to a minute depth, and very short in 

 duration. The velocity of the capillary waves is 

 usually about eight inches in a second of time. 



An observer, who will study the surface of a 

 sea during the successive stages of an increasing 

 wind from a calm to a storm, will find in the 

 whole motion of the surface of the fluid appear- 

 ances which illustrate these various classes of 

 waves, as well as exhibit the laws of their mo- 

 tion. If we suppose this heaving water to be 

 perfectly calm, and ourselves the observers of a 

 storm through all its stages of development, the 

 phenomena of the various forms of waves would 

 appear beautifully pictured before us by the 

 waters at our feet. A gentle movement of the 

 air, not exceeding half-a-mile an hour, leaves 

 the glassy surface unbroken; and, mirror-like, 

 it reflects the surrounding objects with minute 

 accuracy. Let this movement increase in velo- 

 city, and a playful zephyr flit across the sur- 

 face at the rate of about 17 inches a second, or 



