  A recent numerical evaluation of the spherical universal log coefficient in
the Maxwell free--energy and its decomposition into bulk and edge contributions
via a bounded hyperbolic geometry mode calculation is shown to be equivalent to
an existing compact formulation for $p$--forms, at $p=1$, on a conically
deformed sphere. The edge mode seems to be a ghost (p-1)-form. Some numbers are
given. Conformally covariant, higher derivative propagation is treated and a
dynamical origin for the bulk contribution is suggested, The degrees of freedom
of the Kalb--Ramond field are briefly discussed.
