that is to say, the position that closes the aperture through which the
gas flows out. In a new arrangement, the notch, spring, and the lever
are done away with, the cock alone taking the two positions open or
closed.

Another very ingenious system is that of Mr. Loiseau, consisting of an
ordinary gas-burner (fish-tail, bat's-wing, etc.), carrying at its side
a "conflagrator," analogous to that of the spirit-lighter (Fig. 1), but
arranged vertically. One of the rods of the "conflagrator" is connected
with the positive of the pile, and the other with the little horizontal
brass rod which is placed at the bottom of the burner. On turning the
cock so as to open it, a small flow of gas occurs opposite the platinum
spiral, while at the same time a rigid projecting piece affixed to the
cock bears against a small, vertical metallic piece, and brings it in
contact with the brass rod. The circuit is thus closed for an instant,
the spiral is raised to a red heat, and lights the gas, and the flame
rises and finally lights the burner. It goes without saying that on
continuing the motion the contact is broken, so as not uselessly to
waste the pile and so as to stop the escape of gas.

For gas furnaces, Mr. Loiseau is constructing a _handle-lighter_ which
is connected with the side of the furnace by flexible cords. The contact
button is on the sleeve itself, and the spiral is protected against
shocks by a metallic covering which is cleft at the extremity and the
points bent over at a right angle. All the lighters here described work
well, and are rendering valuable services. They may be considered as the
natural and indispensable auxiliaries of electric call bells, and their
use has most certainly been rendered practical through the Leclanche
pile.