Columnar Crystallization of Ground- Ice. 3 
ing into the cause of the elevation of surface, I found similar 
prismoidal or columnar ice-crystals beneath, bearing upon 
their points, or upper ends, a portion of earth or fine gravel. 
In many cases this earthy superficies was crisp, and, in small 
patches, adhesive ; though the adhesion was generally due 
rather to a crusty, frozen portion of earth, on which the base 
of the crystals rested. 
The lower part of a sloping walk, into which much mois- 
ture had flowed from above, was, on examination, found to 
present the like interesting configurations of crystallization ; 
as also, a part of the lower side of the carriage-drive, from 
the entrance-gate to the house. 
Numerous portions, from these three localities of the 
raised surface of the ground, were examined during the 
forenoon ; for which examination, the continuance of frost 
almost throughout the day, in the shade, afforded favourable 
opportunity. Assisted by one of the young ladies of the 
family, who dug up a large number of frozen bits with her 
penknife, and held them on the back of her hand whilst I 
examined them by magnifiers, I was enabled to sketch about 
thirty or more varieties. 
Of these, seventeen in number are figured in the an- 
nexed plate (see Plate I.), generally of the natural size. 
It is not presumed, however, that all these, sketched in so 
much haste, whilst often falling down by the melting of the 
ice, are strictly accurate; strict accuracy, as to any minute 
particular, being neither possible nor necessary. But every 
figure herein preserved is, as far as I am aware, sfricély cha- 
racteristic of the specimen from which it was drawn; whilst 
all the peculiar forms, such as the honeycomb and curvili- 
near crystals, the pinnacles, arches, and other remarkable 
architectural-looking figures, exhibit, I believe, accurate out- 
lines of the configurations which fell under my examination. 
What may be considered as the general elementary form of 
the crystals examined, was a delicate and transparent needle, 
or prism of ice, about the thickness of moderate-sized pin- 
wire ; these were usually combined in the form of a clus- 
tered column, of the diameter, perhaps, of the sixth or the 
eighth of an inch, and varying ordinarily in height from half- 
