240 



[Recess, 



circular holes were cut in glass without the sheet being otherwise 

 injured. I have the end of a pendulous branch of beech, 12 inches 

 long and |-ths of an inch in circumference, which was cut from the 

 tree, also several larger branches from apple and lilac trees, which 

 appeared to have been split from the adjoining boughs. Some muslin 

 curtains spread on the grass to dry were torn by the hail with 

 numerous crucial rents. 



The hailstones were of different forms and sizes. I sketched about 

 forty varieties; but as many bear a certain resemblance to each other, 



1 select four of them for illustration. These were taken out of deep 

 grass nearly half an hour after they had fallen. Figures 1 to 4 

 represent them of the size and shape they had when I picked them 

 up. The heaviest I weighed was only 2 ozs., but other persons 

 assert that they weighed some upwards of 5 ozs. each. No. 1 had a 

 creamy white colour, with linear markings from the centre outwards ; 

 this variety appeared to constitute the nucleus of most of the larger 

 ones, around which transparent ice had accumulated in rounded con- 

 tinuous masses. From the outside of some of the masses protruded 

 icicles ; the remains of two may be seen attached to the side of 

 No. 2. When the stones first fell, some of these icicles were lg and 



2 inches long, and grotesquely shaped. It has been asserted that 

 all the hailstones had the white nucleus, but this was not the case 

 in our neighbourhood ; 35 per cent, of those I gathered were without 

 it, and assumed something of the shape of No. 3, which seemed an 

 aggregate of crystals of clear ice. I found one which was composed 

 of five large masses of ice, quite clear, and in size like five nutmegs. 

 There were some which did not correspond with any of the above 

 descriptions ; thus No. 4 has the round white radiated mass on the 

 outside of the clear ice. 



I annex meteorological reports for the day of the storm. 



No. 1. From the 'Times' of May 8th. 

 May 7th, 1862, 8 o'clock A.M. Towns selected. 



