112 ON SNOW CRYSTALS. 



After the crystals had been observed by us, we mentioned 

 the matter to some friends, who, a few days afterwards, in- 

 formed us that several had fallen about four miles from Bel- 

 fast, on a lake then frozen over. On being shown Scoresby's 

 figures, they identified several of them, and pointed out two 

 pyramidal forms as particularly abundant. None of this con- 

 figuration were noticed by us. 



Robert Ball Esq., of Dublin, informs us that he has occa- 

 sionally observed them at Youghal and Dublin. 



On the 13th of February, 1838, Mr. Patterson travelled by 

 coach from Dublin to Belfast. Snow had been falling heavi- 

 ly all the morning, but had ceased before his arrival at Jones- 

 borough. While stopping to change horses he found on the 

 low stone wall which separates the road from the adjoining 

 fields, a number of snow crystals such as he had formerly 

 seen. A few hundred yards farther on, the ground was per- 

 fectly free from snow, and continued so to Belfast. This 

 partial fall was the precursor of the great snow storm which 

 commenced on the 23rd of February, and for some days ren- 

 dered many roads impassable. 



In the morning of March 23rd, at 8 o'clock, Mr. Patterson 

 noticed at Belfast, among many small compact particles of 

 snow scattered over the street, several hexagonal crystals, the 

 same as before, and from one to three lines in diameter. On 

 the little pools of water and ditches by the way- side towards 

 the Botanic Garden, the crystals appeared to great advantage 

 on the dark surface of the frozen water. 



The ensuing morning at 9 o'clock a very small number of 

 snow crystals were falling. Immediately afterwards they be- 

 came more loose and irregular, and in five minutes more be- 

 gan to descend as a gentle rain. The sun then broke out, 

 and an instantaneous change of temperature was apparent. 



Belfast, March 1838. 



[The appearance of this article so many months subsequently to the date 

 of its reception, has arisen from the circumstance of the original manuscript 

 having been lost in passing through the twopenny post, and we were there- 

 fore reluctantly obliged to give the authors the trouble of drawing out a 

 second copy. — Ed.] 



