182 



of aeriform matter and moisture thus discharged. Hence might arise 

 the squalls which accompany electrical storms. 



Moreover, large masses of moist air, being thus rendered preterna- 

 turally light by electrical excitement, may be made to rise to a situa- 

 tion sufficiently cold to cause the congelation of their moisture; and a 

 simultaneous discharge of electricity ensuing, by a species of reaction 

 the aqueous particles may tend to coalesce with an accelerated force, 

 acting oppositely to that by which they had been kept unduly asun- 

 der, and thus be aggregated into the lumps of ice called hail. 



In many cases, a reciprocal action between thunder clouds had 

 been noticed, and had been explained by supposing them to be differ- 

 ently electrified. This supposition was rendered now reasonable by 

 the fact that, perse, moisture does not destroy the insulating property 

 of air, as demonstrated by the experiment described in the commence- 

 ment of this communication. 



Dr. Hare made a further oral communication, in relation to 

 the fusibility of iridium and rhodium. 



He stated his impression that neither iridium nor rhodium, two of 

 the metals accompanying the native grains of platinum, had hereto- 

 fore been fairly fused. By the colossal battery of Children, a globule 

 of fused iridium is alleged to have been obtained ; but both the admit- 

 ted porosity and specific gravity of that specimen furnished objections 

 to its being considered as pure. Of both the metals in question, by 

 means of his hydro-oxygen blowpipe, within a few months previous, 

 Dr. Hare had succeeded in fusing specimens of unquestionable purity. 

 He had also fused the osmiuret of iridium, as existing in the native 

 spangles, associated with platinum ore. This alloy was found much 

 more difficult of fusion than pure iridium. Both iridium and rhodium 

 became more fusible by continued and repeated fusion. Both appear- 

 ed to evolve some volatile matter, and did not become completely 

 solid until after being repeatedly fused. 



Mr. Walker informed the Society, that Prof. Loomis had 

 succeeded in observing Encke's comet, at its late return, with 

 a five feet Equatorial, by Simmes, belonging to Western Re- 

 serve College. Mr. W. further stated, that Professor Loomis 

 had made some interesting observations on a tornado, which 

 had recently passed over a district in the north of Ohio, and 

 that the phenomena tended to confirm the theory of a rotary 

 motion. 



