﻿2 FIELD AND FOREST. 



sending us a record of the little facts of current observation or inves- 

 tigation in the wide domain of Nature. 



That we may enlarge our circle of readers and contributors, we 

 shall publish an unusual edition of this number, and trust that all re- 

 ceiving it, who are interested in Natural History and the kindred 

 Sciences, will aid us in making our little enterprise all we have claim- 

 ed for it, a journal devoted to the advancement of our knowledge of 

 the Jields and forests of our country. 



Peculiar Forms of Hail Stones. 



About i o'clock, P. M., on the afternoon of May 2 2d, after a hot 

 and sultry morning, a violent thunder storm passed over the section of 

 the city in which I reside (19th near L streets, N. W.) and during the 

 rain some hail stones fell of a somewhat unusual shape. 



Thinking that no addition to our store of information as to these 

 visitants from the upper regions would be entirely without value in the 

 present state of our knowledge of the laws governing their formation, 

 &c, I measured and weighed a few of the more remarkable with a 

 view to presenting the results to our club, and they are herewith sub- 

 mitted, with sketches of some of the stones, hastily made with a pencil, 

 while lying upon a piece of woolen cloth to retard melting : 



Weight. Measurement. 



1st Stone. "/% in. by 5/% in. 



2d " 36 gr. 1 j4 in. by j4 in. 



3d " 1 3/ 8 in. 



4th " 37 gr. 1 in. by l/ A in. 



None weighed over 57 grains, and the average was much less. The 

 third stone, the one shown in the sketch with three spines, was 

 measured across the body and longest spine. The larger stones all 

 averaged only ^i to )4 inches in their short diameter. The smaller 

 stones, of flattened, oval or biscuit shape, showed less difference in their 

 long and short diameter. 



The unusual feature in most of the stones was the presence of one or 

 more spines or projections from the central mass. In the one re- 

 ferred to above there were three such radiations, all showing a slight 



