394 



Mr. A. Tribe on Dissymmetry 



and /the curvilinear character of the lines was most distinctly 

 shown to exist. 



I would also direct attention to the magnitudes of the elec- 

 trifications on the analyzers i,j, k. It will be observed that 

 the — was the same on each of the plates, while the + varied 

 from a lineal distribution of 13 to 26 millim. This would 

 appear to show that the magnitudes at least of the — electri- 

 fications bear little or no relation to the intensity of the field, 

 as it is obvious considerable variations in this respect existed 

 in the several parts of the field. Any generalization, how- 

 ever, to be of real value would require many more observa- 

 tions on this branch of the subject. 



Another point is the variations in the relative magnitudes 

 of the opposite electrifications. In eight of the cases where 

 the effects of both electrifications were sufficiently marked to 

 allow of measurement, the + were greater on both or one side 

 of the analyzer than were the — on the same side or sides ; 

 but in four cases the — were greater than the + . 



Figs, 2 and 3 are diagrams of the plates g and e (fig. 1). 

 The dotted lines indicate the shape of the boundaries, and the 

 spaces enclosed between one of these lines and the correspond- 

 ing end of the analyzer, the magnitudes of the respective 

 electrifications; a to /3 bemg the — , /3 to j the part of non- 

 electrification, and 7 to 8 the + . 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. 3. 



- ( j + 



1 L- _ v 1 



) ) + 



— ^ — ■- y 1 



-, A— 



( ( + 



Identical 

 on both 



sides. 



Side opposed 

 to current. 



Reverse. 



II. Dissymmetry by Interferenee. — I now describe some ex- 

 periments made in the hope of throwing light on the subject 

 of this paper. The results I do not offer as an explanation. 

 I record them in this place, first, for the interest which belongs 

 to them apart from other considerations ; secondly, they may 

 perhaps serve as the starting-point for fresh inquiry. 



A trough was employed 305 millim. long, 120 broad, and 

 128 deep ; and copper electrodes of the breadth and depth of 

 the cell placed at its respective ends. The strength of copper- 



