106 SYLVAN WINTER. 



were whitened as if flour had been thickly 

 sprinkled on them. Scotch Firs presented a very 

 peculiar and striking appearance on account of 

 the partial action of the frost. Whilst the 

 greater portion of their foliage wore its normal 

 hue of dark, bluish-green, here and there little 

 patches of the needle-shaped leaves were frosted 

 all over, giving an a/ppearance like that of the 

 silvering of the human head as years creep on. 

 Spiders' webs everywhere were also whitened and 

 hanging in festoons, and looked like the special 

 decorations of a festive occasion, affording, in 

 this instance at least, a warning to unwary flies 

 who might, otherwise, have been entangled in the 

 silky toils. 



Of the general effect of hoar-frost, the author 

 of ' Forest Scenery ' has something to say. He 

 remarks : ' In a light hoar-frost, before the sun 

 and air begin to shake the powder from the 

 trees, the wintry forest is often beautiful, and 

 almost exhibits the effect of tufted foliage. As 

 single objects also, trees, under this circumstance, 

 are curious. The black branches, whose under- 

 sides are not covered with rime, often make a 



