SNOW CRYSTALS. 



119 



crystals of a complex order, exhibiting a richness of effect hardly to be 

 exaggerated. 



It is a pleasant feature in the study of these figures that they give 



fig. 84. Snow Crystals. 



pleasure to the observer, whether as seen by the naked eye with a lens 

 of moderate power, or as expanded in all their beauty beneath the mi- 

 croscope. I received, a few days ago, from a gentleman at Huntingdon, 

 drawings of twenty-four varieties, which he had observed in the year 

 1841. They were drawn about their natural size, with a fine pen; and, 



fig. 85. Snow Crystal 



if less wonderful in detail, were scarcely less beautiful than any I had 

 seen with my highest-power lens. 



My own observations of some of the more simple forms have been 

 very satisfactorily confirmed by a lady, residing at Richmond, who has 

 obligingly forwarded to me several of her sketches, made at the same 

 time with many of my own. A collection of snow crystals, as observed 



