298 THE ICE STORM OF JANUARY, 1881—POOLE. 
of icicles formed pendent from the wires, or from the points of 
the first, but at fresh angles. 
The weight of the ice coating was so great that it broke the 
wires in many places; its surface was uneven, averaging in its 
greater diameter over an inch in thickness, and in the lesser 
diameter about three quarters of an inch; the icicles first formed 
stood about an inch and a half apart, and were about two inches 
long, aad up to three quarters in thickness ; the second formation 
of icicles were longer and slighter. This ice remained on the 
wires for days, and when it became detached, as it did in places, 
it was interesting to note that it slowly sagged or beat down as 
its crystalline structure reformed under the pressure of its own 
weight. 
One phenomenon in connection with this storm has yet to be 
told. The bending of the trees beneath the weight of ice that 
formed upon them has been mentioned. It might be added that 
whole groves of young birch bent over until their tops became 
attached to the snow beneath, even trees of fifteen and twenty 
inches in girth succumbed to the weight and bent to the 
ground. On Monday, about noon, the wind had ceased, and 
no other sound was to be heard than that of the steadily 
falling rain, except when the weight of fast forming ice over- 
came the strength of some tree top or branch, and with clash- 
ing ice-laden twigs it slowly bent over or more rudely snapped 
with loud report. So frequently did this occur that one stood 
in open spaces eagerly watching to catch the first rustle 
that foretold the destruction of some sturdy tree that broke 
rather than yield to the overpowering weight. Simultaneously 
over a large tract of country was this noticed, and lumberers 
from Middle Musquodoboit reported that there at the same hour 
the woods resounded with the sounds of crushing trees and fall- 
ing branches. 
Nore to Mr. Pootr’s Paper on THE Ice STORM OF JANUARY 
24, 1881. 
In the latter part of May I was passing up the Valley of the 
East River of Pictou, and on the road beyond Hopewell Station, 
