192 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



to lay before the Society a much more elaborate communica- 

 tion on the constituents of qualifying agents, and their ana- 

 logies, both in respect of composition and colour. 



After the conclusion of the paper^ an interesting dis- 

 cussion occurred between Messrs. Croft^ Taylor, Mudie, 

 Fordham, and Moxon, founded mainly on a critical exami- 

 nation of the equivalents and colours of artificial substances, 

 in which it appeared that the system alluded to was not so 

 generally prevalent. Mr. Moxon resumed the argument in 

 support of the system, by referring to the intluences engen- 

 dered by the natural process of formation, namely, the origin 

 of electrical, galvanic, and magnetic forces, from the sepa- 

 ration of the individual original constituents of light, which 

 were less perfectly developed in the artificial or chemical pro- 

 cess of formation. 



Mr. Taylor stated that his objection to concur at once in 

 the original principles of the system, was derived from 

 his doubts as to the effect of polarization of the rays 

 of light, and their subsequent alleged influences. Mr. 

 Moxon contended, in opposition, that the polarity was 

 caused by circumstances acting when the rays were near the 

 surface of the earth, and, consequently, that having pre- 

 viously assumed their respective associations with the ele- 

 ments of the atmosphere during their previous passage 

 through them, the fact of their becoming polarized would not 

 aff"ect the combination already assumed. 



The usual vote of thanks having been passed to the author 

 of the paper, and the Chairman having stated the pleasure 

 which he had felt in this Society being the first to entertain 

 the subject, the meeting separated. 



