Mr Charles Tomlinson on Lightning Figures. 257 
somewhat rippled line, representing the line of least resistance 
or path of the principal discharge. Branching off from this 
line are numerous ramifications, exactly like the branches of 
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Electrical Breath-figure. 
a tree; and from each branch proceed large twigs, and from 
these smaller ones of extreme beauty and delicacy of texture. 
_ The secondary figure is much less complicated, consisting only 
of the main trunk and one or two branches, but the principal 
figure is highly instructive and suggestive. Five of these 
figures are given in my ‘‘ Thunder Storm;” they were drawn 
on wood from nature by my friend Mr Garbett. At the time 
they were drawn, we were not quite agreed as to some of the 
details of the trunk; and as the figure only lasts while the 
breath is visible on the glass, it is somewhat difficult to sketch 
all the details. Besides this, the hygrometric state of the air 
greatly influences the condensation and duration of the mois- 
ture. In warm wet weather, it is scarcely possible to produce 
these figures satisfactorily. In the article “ Breath Figures,” 
contributed by me to the “English Cyclopedia,” are two 
figures drawn on wood by my friend Mr Thorne, from the 
