fluid conductors when transmitting the electric current. 191 
it, and dispose it thereby to ready combination with the me- 
tallic molecules. 
49. Another course is doubtless open to us, which is to con- 
sider the action which takes place at the common surface of 
two unequally conducting media, as one, sui generis, and to 
depend on a new power of the electric current of a nature, 
bearing some analogy to the magnetic action, or possibly re- 
sulting from it ; but this in the present state of our investi- 
gation would be too bold an hypothesis, especially as it is also 
a very vague one. 
50. But whatever conclusions we may form, the phaenomena 
are certainly- interesting, and promise to afford abundant 
matter for future research. Meanwhile, it is not improbable 
that many phenomena of minute intestine motions usually 
attributed to capillary attraction, generation of heat, or other 
causes, may be referable to similar causes. One I cannot 
forbear to mention, from the striking external resemblance of 
the effect to some of those described in this Paper. I mean 
the motions described by M. Amici in the sap of the chara, 
as originating in certain rows of globules disposed in the di- 
rection of the stream. The motion of the fluid in the vicinity 
of these globules has been attributed by M. Amici himself 
to electricity developed in some unknown manner by them, 
and is so similar to what takes place when a stream of elec- 
tricity is made to pass over a row of minute globules of mer- 
cury under a conducting medium, that one has difficulty not 
to presume an analogy in the causes. 
J. F. W. HERSCHEL. 
Slough, January 6 , 1824. 
