A STUDY OF SiYOW CRYSTALS. 75 



from prison he naturally, and in lonnection with John Wilkes, made himself politically dis- 

 agreeable to the Government, and the Government in turn made itself disagreeable to 

 him ; and accordingly the office of the commissioners for carrying into execution the act 

 for taxing incomes addressed Mr. Tooke the following letter : 



" Mai/ 3, 1790. 

 " Sir : The commissioners having under consideration your declaration of income have 

 directed me to acquaint you that they have reason to apprehend your income exceeds sixty 

 poimds a year. They therefore desire that you will reconsider the said declaration and 

 favor me with your answer on or before the 8th inst. 



" I am your obedient servant, 



"W. B. LtiTTLKY, (Jlrrk." 

 To this Mr. Tooke replied : 



'' Sir : I have much more reason than the commissioners can have to be dissatisfied with 

 the sniallness of my income. I have never yet in my life disavowed or had occasion to 

 reconsider any declaration which I have signed with my name. But the act of Parliament 

 has removed all the decencies which used to prevail among gentlemen, and has given the 

 commissioners (shrouded under the signature of their clerk) a right by law to tell me that 

 they have reason to believe that I am a liar. They have also a right to demand from me 

 upon oath the particular circumstances of my private situation. In obedience to the law, 

 I am ready to attend upon this degrading occasion so novel to an Englishman, and give 

 them every explanation which they may be pleased to require. 



" I am, sir, your humble servant, 



" John Horne Tooke." 



A STUDY OF SNOW CRYSTALS.* 



By W. a. BE^TLEY and G. II. PERKINS. 



MAXY have admired suowflakes as they observed their exquisite 

 outlines and varied forms, but few have ever given them care- 

 ful study or distinguished the crystals of which a Hake is usually 

 composed. 



Extended examination of snow crystals has hitherto been very 

 difficult because, except in a very uncomfortable atmosphere, the 

 delicate structures speedily disappeared, and their outlines could be 

 preserved for study and comj)arison only by the aid of skillfully 

 executed drawings. Even these must often be hastily made, and 

 could show little of the internal structure which is so important a 

 feature of most snow crystals. 



Now, however, by any of the usual combinations of microscope 

 and camera, these crystals can be easily and quickly photographed, 

 and far more satisfactory representations obtained than were possible 

 formerly. The term snow crystal is used because a snowflake may 

 1 le a crystal or it may be, and usually is, a cluster of crystals. 



* It is only just that I should state that my share in the production of this article has 

 been to compile its pages from Mr. Bentley's notes and photographs. The facts, theories, 

 and illustrations are entirely due to his untiring and enthusiastic study of snow ciystals. — 

 G. H. Perkins, University of Vermojit. 



