Note on the Spheroidal State. 85 
ture instantly comes into play. If, however, Mr. Stoney’s theory 
be true, then a drop of cool petroleum would be more easily and 
longer sustained on a surface of warm petroleum, or vice versd, 
than a drop taken from the mass of liquid below it, where only a 
slight temperature difference is created. 
Two beakers were filled with petroleum from a common source, 
one (A) at the temperature of the air, the other (B) at a tempera- 
ture of 100° F. With a pipette some liquid was taken up from 
A and a drop carefully deposited on its own surface, a globule was 
formed, floated for a fraction of a second and then disappeared. 
The same occurred with a drop from B placed upon B, A drop of 
B was now removed and deposited on A, a large globule was easily 
formed on the surface, floated about from 10 to 20 seconds and 
then disappeared. A drop of A was now placed on BR, the same 
thing occurred, but the duration of the drop was not quite so 
great, owing to the greater density of the cool drop tending to 
_ sink it below the surface of the warm liquid, thus rupturing the 
Crookes’ layer and destroying the difference of temperature, 
There is no doubt or uncertainty whatever about this experi- 
ment, and it shows that, if the ordinary explanation be correct 
the second case, where B rests on B, should give the best result, 
whereas the reverse isthe case. Further, the experiment wherein 
the best result is obtained, is such as best fulfils the condition of 
Mr. Stoney’s theory. 
The limit of formation of these spheroids, when the liquid is 
uniformly dropped through a gradually increasing height, may be 
employed to test the relative degrees of force which sustain the 
globule, and careful experiments made by the author in this 
direction still further corroborated the truth of Mr. Stoney’s 
views. 
MM 
