1878.] 



Presents. 



273 



enabling heat to produce the currents, and most determines their 

 direction and amount, is a suitable molecular structure of the liquid. 



By means of the apparatus and process described, he has discovered 

 irregular molecular changes in several of the liquids examined ; and as 

 molecular changes are the bases of various physical and chemical 

 alterations, he suggests the use of this apparatus and method as a new 

 one for discovering anomalous molecular alterations, and other co- 

 incident physical and chemical ones, in electrically conducting liquids ; 

 and for detecting differences of electric potential between metals and 

 liquids at different temperatures. 



By reasoning upon the different results obtained, he concludes also 

 as probable, that when a piece of metal is simply immersed in a suit- 

 able liquid, a change of temperature occurs ; and this (if correct*) is a 

 parallel fact to that of the production of electricity by simple con- 

 tact only. The results also support the contact theory of voltaic 

 electricity. 



The paper concludes with several suggestions of new lines of re- 

 search suggested , by the experiments, one of which is the construction 

 of a new thermo-electro-motor. 



Presents, March 7, 1878. 



Transactions. 



Brussels : — Academie Royale des Sciences. Bulletin. 2e Serie. 

 TomeXLIV. No. 12. 8vo. 1877. Annuaire. 44eAnnee. 12mo. 



The Academy. 



Calcutta : — Asiatic Society of Bengal. Journal. Yol. XLV. Part 2. 

 Index. Vol. XL VI. Part 2. No. 2. 8vo. 1877. Proceedings, 



1877. No. 6. 8vo. The Society. 

 Cherbourg : — Societe Nationale des Sciences Naturelles. Memoires. 



Tome XX. 8vo. 1876-77. The Society. 



Edinburgh : — Royal Scottish Society of Arts. Transactions. Vol. 

 IX. Part 4. 8vo. 1876. The Society. 



Prankfort-on-Main : — Neue Zoologische Gesellschaft. Der Zoolo- 

 gische Garten. Jahrgang 18. No. 1-3. 8vo. 1877. The Society. 



Milan: — Reale Osservatorio di Brera. Pubblicazioni. No. 12. Su 

 alcuni temporali osservati nellTtalia Superiore ; Relatione del 

 Prof. Paolo Frisiani. No. 13. Sopra alcuni scandagli del 

 Cielo ; Annotazioni del Prof. Giovanni Celoria. 4to. Milano, 



1878. The Observatory. 



* Since writing the paper the Author has proved, by experiment, that when a 

 sheet of platinum is immersed in various saline, alkaline, and acid liquids, a slight 

 rise of temperature takes place ; the solutions already employed, in which such a 

 result occurs, are enumerated. 



