372 ON THE CHANGE OF REFIUNGIBILITY OF LIGHT.
invisible rays, some absorbing the more refrangible of the rays capable of affecting a dilute solution of sulphate of quinine and transmitting the less refrangible, others absorbing the less and transmitting the more refrangible, and others again absorbing them all. These rays were absorbed by solutions of eliminate and bichromate of potash so weak as to be almost colourless. A thickness of about a quarter of an inch of sulphuret of carbon was sufficient to absorb all the rays beyond Hk\, so that a hollow prism filled with this fluid would be useless in experiments on these rays. It should be remarked that the sulphuret of carbon employed was not yellow from dissolved sulphur, but apparently as colourless as water.
196. To determine qualitatively the reflecting power of a polished surface with respect to the invisible rays of each particular degree of refrangibility, it would be sufficient to form a pure spectrum as usual, reflect the rays sideways before they come to the focus of the larger lens, place a sensitive? medium to receive them, and compare the effect with that produced on the same medium when the rays are allowed to fall directly upon it.
Effect of different Flames.
197. Want of sunlight proved to be such an impediment to the pursuit of these researches that I was induced to try some bright flames, with the view of obtaining some convenient substitute. Candle-light is very ill adapted to these experiments. The flame of a camphene-lamp proved no bettor, perhaps rather worse, for it abounds so much in rays belonging to the bright part, of the spectrum that the glare of the light prevents all observation of faint objects; and the flame does not appear to be rich in invisible rays in anything like the proportion in which it is rich in visible ones. The flame of nitre burning on wood or charcoal produced a very good effect, exhibiting, when the combustion was most vivid, a copious dispersive reflexion in a weak solution of sulphate of quinine contained in a bottle held near it. The tint, of the dispersed light appeared to be not quite the same as that given by daylight, but to verge a little towards violet. However, I do not place very strong reliance on the judgment of the eye under such circumstances. A still stronger dispersive reflexion was produced