THE OUTDOOR WORLD. 



433 



INTRICATE DESIGNS OF FEATHERY FORM. 



We soon learned by experience the 

 best method to pursue and to select 

 the more beautiful and interesting- 

 specimens from among less desirable 

 ones. The crystals were caught upon 

 a blackboard and removed to a glass 

 slide by a splint, examined under a 

 microscope and rejected or, if of in- 

 terest, pressed down flat upon the slide 

 with a feather, the slide with the 

 crystal placed upon the stage of the 

 microscope, centered, focussed and 

 photographed. Exposures varied from 

 fifteen to one hundred or more seconds, 

 according to the condition of the light 

 and the extension of the camera bel- 

 lows. 



It was found necessary to hairll': 

 all the apijaratus with mittened hands, 

 and to hold the breath while observi ug 

 the crystals, for the slightest breath 

 destroys them. Our camera was 

 placed in a cold room, which was al- 

 ways kept cold, and so placed that the 

 objective pointed toward a window. 

 The room was never darkened ; all 

 work, even exposing the plate, was 

 done in the light. 



The snows of each succeeding storm 

 were eagerly searched for interesting 

 specimens. How absorbing the work 

 was ! Whenever favorable storms 



came, the pangs of hunger, the grip 

 of the cold, work, pleasure, everything 

 but the labor in hand was forgotten 

 or neglected. We were for the time 

 being in crystal land, in a wonderful 

 and but little explored realm of nature, 

 rinding therein gems of matchless 

 beauty. 



From this time onward each suc- 

 ceeding winter has found us on the 

 watch for favorable snow falls and 

 delving among their crystal treasures 

 for new and unique forms to add to 

 the collection, and every favorable 

 snowfall brings much that is new to 

 interest and delight, and to augment 

 our photographic treasures. The cer- 

 tainty of always finding new forms as 

 each storm comes endows our study 

 at all times with the charm of novelty 

 and adds immeasurably to the fasci- 

 nation of our beautiful study. 



How fascinating is the work may be 

 inferred from the fact that we have 

 never yet found a time during all these 

 twenty-four years when we con hi en- 

 tertain the idea of relinquishing it. 

 One who pursues snow study is near 

 to the infinite in nature, infinite num- 

 bers and infinite variety. 



One is always hoping and expect- 

 ing that each coming snow fall will 



