MAGNECRYSTALLIC CONDITION OF ANTIMONY. 
13 
muth, is to know whether two crystals, or uniformly crystallized masses of bismuth, 
can mutually affect each other ; and if so, what the nature of these affections are ? 
what is the relation of the equatorial and terminal parts? and what, the direction of 
the forces ? I have made many experiments, in relation to this subject, both in and 
out of the magnetic field, but obtained only negative results. I employed however 
small masses of bismuth, and it is my purpose to repeat and extend them at a more 
convenient season with larger masses, built up, if necessary, in the manner already 
described (2483.). 
250/. I need hardly say that a crystal of bismuth ought to point in a helix or ring 
of wire carrying an electric current, and so that its magnecrystrallic axis should be 
parallel to the axis of the ring or helix. This I find experimentally to be the case. 
^ ii. Crystalline Polarity of Antimony. 
2508. Antimony is a magnecrystallic body. Some crystalline masses, procured in 
the manner before described (2457.)? were broken up with copper tools, and some 
excellent groups of crystals were obtained, weighing from ten to twenty g'rains each, 
in which all the constituent crystals appeared to be uniformly placed. The individual 
crystals were very good on the whole, and much more frequently full at the faces 
and complete than those of bismuth. They were very bright, having a steel-gray or 
silvery appearance, and to the eye appeared more surely as cubes than bismuth, 
though here and there distinctly rhomboidal faces presented themselves. Planes of 
cleavage can be made to replace the solid angles ; and, as with bismuth, there is one 
plane generally brighter and more perfect than the others. 
2509. In the first place, it was ascertained that all these crystals were diamagnetic? 
and strongly so. 
2510. In the next it was ascertained, as with bismuth, that all of them exhibited 
the magnecrystallic phenomena with considerable power, showing the existence of a 
line of force (2470.), vvhich, when placed vertically, left the crystal free to move in 
any direction (2476.) ; but when placed horizontally, caused the crystal to point, and 
in so doing took up its own position parallel to the resultant of magnetic force pass- 
ing through the crystal (2479.). This line proceeded, as in bismuth, from one of the 
solid angles to the opposite one, and was perpendicular to the bright cleavage plane 
just spoken of (2508.). 
2511. So, generally, the action of the magnet upon these crystals was the same as 
upon the crystals of bismuth ; but there are some points of variation which require 
to be more distinctly stated and distinguished. 
2512. In the first place, when the magnecrystallic axis was horizontal, and a certain 
crystal used, upon the evolution of the magnetic force, the crystal went up to its posi- 
tion slowly, and pointed as with a dead set. If the crystal were moved from this 
position on either side, it returned to it at once : there was no vibration. Other 
crystals did the same imperfectly ; and others again made one or perhaps two vibra- 
