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ACCOUNT OF THE EEMAEKABLE MAY SNOW-STORM, 



WITH INCIDENTAL NOTICES OF ITS EFFECTS ON THE 



LIVING AND INANIMATE CREATION. 



BY MR. T. LISTER. 



The following particulars relating to the very remarkable snow-storm which 

 occurred last May, may prove of some interest to the readers of "The 

 Naturalist;" they were taken in the neighbourhood of Barnsley, Yorkshire; 

 some of them during the occurrence of the storm, and others subsequently. 



5th. month, 9th. — The barometer sank from 29-30" yesterday, to 29-15° and 

 29". Through the early hours of the morning showers were continuous, which 

 gradually changed to snow, increasing in the heaviness of the flakes towards noon, 

 and continuing without intermission until late at night. Passengers, vehicles, 

 roofs of houses, trees, everything was literally covered with a thick snowy 

 mantle. 



5th. month, 10th. — This morning the streets and houses are deeply enveloped 

 in snow. The depth around the town is estimated at from nine inches to 

 one foot, increasing in a westward direction towards the moors. At Stainbro', 

 it is reported to lie from fifteen to eighteen inches; at Thurgoland, two 

 feet; at Penistone, with careful measurement, it was found to be a depth 

 of two feet three inches; and in many places above one yard. On the Der- 

 byshire side of the great backbone of England, it is stated to be from three 

 to four feet. The wind was changeable during the fall of this snow-storm, 

 blowing from the N. E. by N. and N. W. at intervals. The extent to which 

 the snow was mainly confined was in this district, on each side of the 

 Moorland ridge, thinning off to the eastward towards Pontefract, scarcely 

 extending to Wakefield northward, nor Chesterfield southward, nor Doncaster 

 south-eastward, the snow changing to rain in those directions. 



The damage to trees has been immense. The birch and the beech, with 

 their numerous leafy sprays, and the budding oaks, have suffered the most in 

 the woods about here. But the injury sustained here is nothing to be compared 

 with that in the west and south-west districts. The woods of F. V. Wentworth, 

 Esq., at Stainbro', and those of Lord Wharncliffe, at Wortley and Wharncliffe, 

 suffered to the extent of thousands of pounds loss. Heavy losses have been 

 sustained in the quantities of sheep that have perished. Such a snow-storm 

 in May is not remembered by the oldest amongst us, and by few indeed at 

 any period of the year. The quantity of water in the rain gauge on the 

 roof of the post-office, indicated a fall to the unprecedented extent of two 

 inches, and probably there would be some waste in the flakes of snow being 

 blown from the receiver, previous to melting. 



5th. month, 11th. — Took the first opportunity of getting out since the 

 storm occurred, anxious to ascertain the state of my feathered favourites in 

 this unlooked-for visitation of churlish winter. The effects have been serious 

 to the nesting-birds, particularly the ground builders, as Larks, Grouse, etc. 



