prevent its melting in the fire. While in the charcoal fire, or when
held in a burner to get a better idea of the degree of heat, the
button glowed with great brilliancy. The wire with the button was then
mounted in a bulb, and upon exhausting the same to a high degree, the
current was turned on slowly so as to prevent the cracking of the
button. The button was heated to the point of fusion, and when it
melted it did not, apparently, glow with the same brilliancy as
before, and this would indicate a lower temperature. Leaving out of
consideration the observer's possible, and even probable, error, the
question is, can a body under these conditions be brought from a solid
to a liquid state with evolution of _less_ light?

When the potential of a body is rapidly alternated it is certain that
the structure is jarred. When the potential is very high, although the
vibrations may be few--say 20,000 per second--the effect upon the
structure may be considerable. Suppose, for example, that a ruby is
melted into a drop by a steady application of energy. When it forms a
drop it will emit visible and invisible waves, which will be in a
definite ratio, and to the eye the drop will appear to be of a certain
brilliancy. Next, suppose we diminish to any degree we choose the
energy steadily supplied, and, instead, supply energy which rises and
falls according to a certain law. Now, when the drop is formed, there
will be emitted from it three different kinds of vibrations--the
ordinary visible, and two kinds of invisible waves: that is, the
ordinary dark waves of all lengths, and, in addition, waves of a well
defined character. The latter would not exist by a steady supply of
the energy; still they help to jar and loosen the structure. If this
really be the case, then the ruby drop will emit relatively less
visible and more invisible waves than before. Thus it would seem that
when a platinum wire, for instance, is fused by currents alternating