224 [Dec. 12, 



various degrees of battery power were then applied in the usual 

 manner, occasionally reversing the electric current, but no crispations 

 or sounds, nor even undulations, occurred in either case. 



Influence of the Electrolyte. 



16. The mass of the electrolyte is not essential to the sounds, it 

 only increases them by enabling a larger quantity of electricity to 

 circulate ; the sounds were readily produced with the thinnest film 

 of liquid upon the surface of the mercury. Several experiments 

 were made to ascertain if the depth of crispations and loudness of 

 sounds would be increased by increasing the specific gravity of the 

 electrolyte by addition of various salts ; but no definite effects of that 

 kind were found on gradually adding portions of saturated solutions of 

 carbonate of potash and bromide of potassium to a good phonetic liquid. 



1 7. With regard to the influence of the chemical composition of 

 the electrolyte upon the vibrations and sounds, upwards of one hun- 

 dred liquids, including organic and inorganic acids, concentrated and 

 dilute aqueous solutions of caustic alkalies alkaline carbonates, 

 bicarbonates, borates, hypophosphites, phosphites, phosphates, pyro- 

 phosphates, hyposulphites, sulphites, sulphates, bisulphates, iodides, 

 iodates, bromides, bromates, chlorides, chlorates, perchlorates, fluorides, 

 nitrites, nitrates, silicates, turigstates, chromates, bichromates, and 

 manganates salts of alkaline earths, of alumina, chromium, uranium, 

 manganese, and of various organic acids, all of various degrees of dilu- 

 tion, and with different degrees of battery power, were tried, to ascertain 

 if the property of evolving sounds by electrolysis with mercury elec- 

 trodes was a general property of electrolytes, or only of certain liquids ; 

 but the only ones in which the sounds occurred were moderately 

 dilute aqueous solutions of the cyanides of ammonium, potassium, 

 sodium, barium, strontium, calcium, and magnesium, and best in the 

 cyanides of ammonium and potassium ; no sounds occurred in 

 aqueous hydrocyanic acid, nor in a solution of cyanide of mercury. 

 In nearly all the liquids, movements of the mercury, more or less 

 strong, were produced ; and in solutions of alkaline hyposulphites, 

 iodides, and bromides, especially the iodides, definite undulations ap- 



evolved sufficient heat to raise its own temperature to 155-3 Fahr. = 4*5 Fahr. 

 degrees. I also previously found that the solution of cyanide of potassium named 

 gave sounds (after a little use) readily at 180 Fahr. with mercury electrodes. 





