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on a piece of white wax, fo as to make a length 
of half an inch; this method being recommen- 
ded by my ingenious friend Mr. henley, F. R. S. 
who had before ufed it with fuccefs. On difcharging 
the battery through the platina, I found, that not 
only the furface of fome of the lamina , or grains, 
had been in fufion, but that part of it was melted 
in beautiful white fpherules, vifible to the naked 
eye. 
Another experiment that I tried, was on a duck; 
a chain was fattened to its legs, and, holding it 
by the wings, the head was brought up to one of 
the rods of the battery, fo that the battery was- 
difcbarged through it, from the head to the feet; 
the confequence was, the duck was thrown into 
violent convullions, and expired in two or three 
minutes. Then I took a turkey, and fattened a 
wire round its neck, and another on its rump, in 
fuch manner, that the neared; dittance between 
the wires was along the back bone, thinking the 
charge of the batteries might pafs down the fpine, 
and that the turkey would be made paralytic; 
but, on difcharging the battery, the turkey opened 
its bill, and died inftantly. Then I took a cock, 
and fattened a wire on his rump, and placed one 
of the balls, of the difcharging rod, on the middle 
of his back, fo that the charge might not pafs 
near his vital parts ; the battery being difcharged, 
the body of the cock was violently agitated, for 
about half a minute, and the head was turned, fo 
that the bill came againft its breaft; the head and 
neck however foon recovered, fo that it moved its 
neck, to all appearance, as well as it did before it 
M 2 was 
