Consequently, a wedge of sulphate of lime, varying in thickness between the 0·00124 and the 0·01818 of an inch, will appear to be striped with all colours when polarized light is transmitted through it. A change in the inclination of the film, whether of mica or sulphate of lime, is evidently equivalent to a variation in thickness. When a plate of mica, held as close to the eye as possible, at such an inclination as to transmit the polarized ray along one of its optic axes, is viewed through the tourmaline with its axis vertical, a most splendid appearance is presented. The cloudy spot in the direction of the optic axis is seen surrounded by a set of vividly coloured rings of an oval form, divided into two unequal parts by a black curved band passing through the cloudy spot about which the rings are formed. The other optic axis of the mica exhibits a similar image (N. 212). When the two optic axes of a crystal make a small angle with one another, as in nitre, the two sets of rings touch externally; and, if the plate of nitre be turned round in its own plane, the black transverse bands undergo a variety of changes, till, at last, the whole richly coloured image assumes the form of the figure 8, traversed by a black cross (N. 213). Substances with one optic axis have but one set of coloured circular rings, with a broad black cross passing through its centre, dividing the rings into four equal parts. When the analyzing plate revolves, this figure recurs at every quarter revolution; but in the intermediate positions it assumes the complementary colours, the black cross becoming white. It is in vain to attempt to describe the beautiful phenomena exhibited by innumerable bodies which undergo periodic changes in form and colour when the analyzing plate revolves, but not one of them shows a trace of colour without the aid of tourmaline, or something equivalent, to analyze the light, and as it were to call these beautiful phantoms into existence. Tourmaline has the disadvantage of being itself a coloured substance; but that inconvenience may be obviated by employing a reflecting surface as an analyzing plate. When polarized light is reflected by a plate of glass at the polarizing angle, it will be separated into two coloured pencils; and, when the analyzing plate is turned round in its own plane, it will alternately reflect each ray at every quarter revolution, so that all the phenomena that have been described will be seen by reflection on its surface.