That the hoar frost sometimes takes strange freaks is shown in the exquisitely beautiful deposits occasionally found upon the edges of a piece of broken ice. Sometimes you will discover it upon the thin, new ice which forms upon small streams in the early autumn, and in gullies beside the road. This ice is short-lived, and readily breaks at the slightest touch, with the crackling sound of broken glass. A section of this thin ice is shown, about the ragged edge of which the hoar frost has arranged itself in fantastic fashion. The dark waters of the brook may be seen through the opening. [Illustration: 38. A beautiful example of two distinct types.] [Illustration: 39. Fern-like scrolls, delicate background.] Hoar frost which gathers upon the grass blades, unlike the deposit of the dew, does not form noticeably upon the tips of the blades; on the contrary, the hoar frost gathers in an apparently greater and heavier degree the nearer to the earth it approaches. Flat-leaved, low-growing plants are usually well covered with hoar-frost crystals, while about the edges of certain leaves a heavy decoration of film-like crystals is sometimes seen. Frequently upon a pond of frozen water we come across a queer moss-like fungus deposit scattered at intervals over the surface of the ice. This is still another type of hoar-frost formation. Still another is the columnar frost crystal, which is formed of clusters of needles, and these loose, needle-like formations we frequently find scattered over the surface of thin brook ice. During your rambles in the autumn, after the arrival of the hoar frost, it would prove a pastime as well as an instructive nature study, to search out and locate the many different varieties of hoar frost. Be sure to take a small pocket microscope or reading lens with you. Search diligently in unexpected places, beneath blocks of wood, about decaying logs and old tree stumps, for in all sorts of out of the way places you will encounter them. Under the edge of a stone, imbedded even in the snow, and scattered over the surface of frozen pond and brook. The Frost Spirit seeks all sorts of strange nooks and crannies in which to deposit its fascinating mushroom growths. Nature has in store for us many strange, agreeable surprises. Among them there is much to be discovered and learned about these delicate fantastic creations deposited by the Hoar-frost Spirit. [Illustration: 40. A perfect fern leaf] [Illustration: 41. Raised fern-like arrangement] [Illustration: 42. Showing in detail granular frost drawing away from true frost crystals] ETCHINGS BY JACK FROST [Illustration: 43. Graceful feathers with curling ends] [Illustration: 44. Strikingly beautiful example. Evergreen twigs shooting out into clear glass] CHAPTER III ETCHINGS BY JACK FROST