304 APPENDIX. 



were to be met with in groups of single primal, for the most 

 part irregularly distributed and in the richest profusion; 

 this order of figures included larger crystals than those of 

 high crystalline formation, which were frequently O05 inch 

 and even less in diameter, and were intensely glistening, and 

 independently of the various planes composing them, were 

 marked with inner parallel tracings, such as I have alone seen 

 recorded by Dr. Scoresby. 



" The great tendency of these bodies, so far as I could ob- 

 serve, was to simplify themselves from the moment of their 

 descent, whether from the difference of temperature, or from 

 an alteration in the chemical constituents of the atmosphere 

 near the surface of the ground, I am as yet ignorant. That 

 they go through various changes in their descent is undoubted, 

 judging from various appearances, which to me were perfectly 

 anomalous, until towards the close of the cold weather I was 

 able to ascertain the method of their final dissolution, imme- 

 diately preceding which every line became (if I may so say) 

 relaxed and every angle blunted. This in part explained the 

 seeming anomaly presented by several of intermediate for- 

 mations, which towards the apex of their radii were crowned 

 with to all appearance tufts of jagged and serrated leaves, 

 quite unlike the geometric precision of these figures and their 

 avoidance of curved lines generally. 



" This I subsequently, and with reason, attributed to the 

 partial thawing of the crystal in some of the regions of the 

 atmosphere through which it had passed in falling, in some 

 one of which it had become thawed and again frozen, the 

 frosted appearance being due to small granulated particles, 

 which had subsequently accumulated upon these portions 

 whilst in a transition state. 



" I observed during this period a great variety of double 

 crystals, the greater number falling on the last morning of the 

 continued frost; they were about 0'2 inch in diameter, and 

 united by a slender and almost imperceptible axis at right an- 

 gles to the plane of each ; the rays were either identical in posi- 

 tion, or intermediate, in either case exhibiting great complexity 



