chemical Properties attributed to Light. 461 
extreme brilliancy, afforded a very beautiful and interesting 
sight. 
As the air had been previously expelled from the charcoal, 
by boiling it in distilled water, it was specifically heavier than 
the aqueous solution of the metallic oxide, and consequently 
remained at the bottom of the bottle. 
Experime?it No. 12. A phial, as nearly as possible like that 
used in the last experiment, and containing the same quantity 
of diluted aqueous solution of nitrate of silver, and also of char- 
coal, was inclosed in a cylindrical tin box, and exposed one hour 
to the heat of boiling water, in an apparatus used for boiling 
potatoes in steam, for the table. 
The result of this experiment was uncommonly striking. 
The surface of the charcoal was covered with a most beautiful 
metallic vegetation ; small filaments of revived silver, resem- 
bling fine flatted silver wire, pushing out from its surface, in all 
directions ! 
Some of these metallic filaments were above one-tenth of an 
inch in length. On agitating the contents of the phial, they 
were easily detached from the surface of the charcoal, to which 
they seemed to adhere but very slightly. 
These experiments were repeated several times, and always 
with precisely the same results. 
When the oxide of gold was reduced in this way, the revived 
metal appeared under the form of small scales, adhering firmly 
to the surface of the charcoal. May not the difference of the 
forms under which gold and silver are revived from their oxides, 
in this process, be owing to the difference of the specific gravi- 
ties of those metals ? 
